The Alternate Path
by Inner Self
Summary: I'm going to finish this even if it kills me. Chapter 21 up. 50k mark. Summary: If Sakura had bloomed any sooner, would her life have made any impact on her most precious persons?-yes- Crazy-cool Sakura.
1. The One Who Throws the First Punch!

**The Alternate Path**

**By Inner Self**

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto..insert hefty speech about how great Masashi Kishimoto is..or any of the characters..yada-yada.. also, some quotes from the manga.

There will be a different team fighting Cell 7 in the Shinomori, instead of the otonin. The Asuma Cell won't be appearing either or Lee-san and his team for that matter. I figured luck changes certain events so I have that much flexiblility at first, then my options open up when the story grows.

Summary: If only Sakura could've bloomed sooner, could it have made any difference? (Hell YEAH!!!) And if Kishimoto-san had wanted a heroine, would Sakura be a better-liked character than she is? (Once again...HELL YEAH!!!)

**Number One: The One Who Throws the First Punch!**

Orochimaru has left Sasuke in a state between life and death.

"..Unnh...Uh..." Sasuke groans in his sleep.

"His breathing is improving, but..his fever's still so high!" and then Sakura notices three different chakras, 'Huh! A group is approaching!'

"Gaara, not to be annoying or anything, but we've already past the second chuunin exam. Why are we not waiting in the tower?" Temari asks, already knowing the answer. He replies with the usual 'Shut up' and Kankurou starts, "Its been only twelve hours…" a thud is heard as they land in front of Sakura, "Shouldn't you wait until the next exam?"

While Sakura rises to her feet, feeling the weight of standing up to the three sand-nins, and Gaara replies, rather as a statement than a question, "Temari, why don't you prove your existence instead. Amuse me."

'Shit! I hate being the bad guy! Whatever happened to diplomacy?' A startled, fearful expression vanishes as fast as it appeared on Temari's face.

**'Snap out of it! Damnit, we have to protect them!' **With that thought of encouragement,Sakura shakes off the emotional paralysis and faces the girl. **'No slacking off and no holding back! Got that! You penny pincher!'**

"Look girl, give us you're scroll and we'll leave! But considering the situation your teammates are in, such an order is useless. You don't have a scroll, do you?" And Temari smirks, proving that, apparently, she can play the antagonist quite well. As she's pulling out her gigantic weapon, Sakura releases the log trap. "You think such a basic trap will work against me?" and she opens the weapon, which turns out to be amonsterous fan.

**'Yikes!'**

With a swing of her hand, Temari creates a vortex, a wind-type jutsu, called Itachi and that shreds the log into splinters. Then she calls to the brown-haired kid, "Can we go now, Gaara?"At the same time, Temari uncovers the ground trap laid by Sakura, making both of Sakura's attemps at an ambush fail.

"…Temari…Blood…" The boy darkly demands.

Sakura takes the chance to throw a handful of shuriken at Temari, who unfortunately dodges. Sakura chooses the safety option and performs another substitution jutsu. Sakura is wise in her decision because at the next moment, Temari swings her fan once again. With a 'poof!' of smoke, Sakura reappears in a different location, a log replacing her previous one.

'She's offensive, and she's best with long ranged attacks.' Feeling cornered, Sakura uses her only option and creates another substitution.

"Such basic attacks. Is that all you got?... Itachi!"Sakura tries to sneak behind her after substituting, but Temari catches her off-guard and closes her fan, jabbing the butt of it into the Sakura's stomach.

'She's good at melee, too!' Sakura thinks, as her breathing hitches.

"You won't supprise me." Temari smirks menacingly. She then pulls her fan away and opens it to swing her favorite technique...!

Recovering from having the wind knocked out of her, Sakura grabs her side with her left hand and stares at her opponent, who is releasing her final assault.

'**Shit! If that fan lands its over!** Aie! What do I do? **Pissed off Inner Self to the rescue! I told ya not to hold back! Here I come, shannaro!' **

As Sakura was not contemplating a smart plan to put into action and save herself from death, Inner Sakura mentally knocks Sakura out and flies into action…

Inner Sakura opens her eyes. With the first thought in mind to stop her and her outer self'sdeath…she throws a punch. (A/N: - - ..baka..)

"Haaa!" Temari starts to launch her attack…

…but Sakura's attack (A/N: hehe, a punch!) lands first…

**"Take this! Shannaro!"**

…and turns out to be a monsterous blow! (A/N: eh, good work?)

**'Mother, that effing hurt! Okay! I'm done! Happy, Sakura? Now you get to deal with this pain in our arm!' **Inner Sakura recedes from her physical form and leaves. Sakura to deal with the aftermath.

"My beautiful fan! Look what you've done! How the hell!" Temari continues to yell, bicker, and cry at the same time while Sakura stares in wonder at the miracle--**'Behold! I am the miracle maker! Muhaha!'--**

"Damnit! Gaara, this isn't a joke anymore, we have to return to the tower! It'll take me the rest of the second test to repair this!"

"Shut up if you don't want to die."

"Uh! You wouldn't kill your sister, ne?" Temari puts up her hands in a nervous reaction.

Sand starts to form in the younger brother's out-stretched hand. A cork appears, and he sticks it into the huge gourd on his back, "Whatever." And with that they leave...

**"They just leave!!!"**

**End of Number One**

Inner Self here! So, what did y'all think? Huh? Was it any good? How was the fight scene? Please, tell me what you think of it! Only 'smart' flames! ('You suck' is not acceptable!) Reviews are greatly appreciated! I'll do my best!

A/N: 1) How _would_ Temari act if her fan broke? 2)Naruto is considered a children's show in Japan, even though it has so much blood and cursing (The characters even say the b-words.) So, I am very confused. Would Naruto be considered T on this site? Or should I move it to M just to be safe?

Anyways! Read and Review! (Arigato-gozaimasu!)


	2. Reconstruction

The Alternate Path

By Inner Self

Number Two:

"Reconstruction"

(Hell, yeah! It's a rewrite! I finally discovered what the beginning part was missing! I thought at first, before writing the chapter, that I could just fast forward to the Pre-lims, BUT THAT'S CHEATING! Emo TTs. So, please enjoy it!)

--

"OUCH!!" Sakura had awoken, bolting upright. She had forgotten her battle wounds, and regretted the sudden movement immediately. She looked around, still wincing, to find herself in a new terrain. Alert, she looked over her the edge of the forest and then the stream running some meters away. She spotted Naruto, swimming towards the edge to jump out and greet her. 'Naruto-kun must have moved camp. That's a lucky break!'

Naruto ran over to her, arms opened wide. At this point, Sakura had taken note that her Chinese dress had been discarded from her form and folded on a rock next to her. Grinning like the idiot he is, Naruto came to embrace her….though she was totally against such a plan.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto mewled (?) as he came forth. Inner Sakura's eyebrow perked up at this. "Ahou!!" Horrified, Sakura abruptly sent Naruto flying by way of fist into a nearby tree.

Meanwhile, Sasuke had heard the closest exclamation, Naruto's undying affection, and gathered the fish they had caught. Naruto was recovering just as Sasuke arrived from the direction of the stream. "What did you do this time, moron?" He asked, pretending to be annoyed when deep down he was thoroughly amused. Yet, the thought of his injured teammate being tackled and manhandled repressed said feeling.

Sakura's anger dissipated at the sound of his presence. Her head swiveled to his direction. "Sasuke-kun," she muttered before the blissful feeling took complete control. She bolted onto her feet, and with one swift dash, Sakura met surprised recipient in a bone-crushing hug. With a few popping noises from his back, Sasuke came out of shock and gave Sakura two pats the back, as gratitude for her sacrifice and protection. He felt her groan as she slumped and shifted her dead weight unto him.

"How are you healing?" He need not ask, but uncharacteristically did so anyway.

"I shouldn't have done that. Ow… I shouldn't have done that." Sakura griped her side as Sasuke and Naruto helped her to her place next to the fire.

Over dinner (fish, fishy, fish, fish) Sasuke inquired about her condition once again. "Heki dayo! It's no big deal! Just a few cracks; nothing broken!" **'As long as Sasuke is okay, I can take any hit!! Shannaro!'**

Sasuke rose from where he had finished eating. "Naruto, take off your shirt." He ordered in his usual bored tone. "What?!" Naruto exclaimed. Gawking at him, Naruto replied defiantly, "No way!!" with bulging eyes.

"Now. Don't make me come over there… Fine, then give me your jacket." Alas, Sakura was off in her own world by now, fantasizing of such images that would not only make Kakashi-sensei proud, but leave him in awe. "Oi, what are you doing?! That's my favorite jacket!!"

"Then you should have forfeited the shirt, dobe," Sasuke replied, without any sympathy whatsoever. "Sakura needs new bandages. The bloodstain is rubbing through the old ones."

Sakura breaks out of her fantasy at mention of herself. Reprimanding, she reminds her inner self that it is not womanly to be a pervert. 'I don't even _read_ yaoi. I have such a dirty mind… and Kakashi's finger technique doesn't help!'

"Naruto, I volunteered the first time, so it's your turn," He says this while using a kunai to rip naruto's precious orange ninja jacket into strips.

"I thought that was sweat and dirt from your dirty shin wrappings," Naruto pondered, "God knows you never take them off."

Turning to enter the forest, Sasuke says, "Naruto, help Sakura if she needs it. Make sure the bandages are tight."

Once mourning for his sinfully orange beloved, Naruto grins like the Cheshire with re-found joy. "Alright!" He sings, but before he can do _anything_, Sakura's defenses are up and Naruto has the recurring feeling of flying head-first into a tree.

While he's out, Sakura takes the chance to venture down to the stream with the ghastly orange 'bandages.' Taking her time, she eases herself down to sit on the bank. She takes out a kunai and uses it to cut a fluffy one, which had once been the collar, into two pieces. Sakura washed them until she was certain she could not remove anymore sweat, slime, or grime. She wrings them out to her best ability, and lays them on the bank to sundry.

Sakura looked around. Naruto was still out cold, though twitching, and Sasuke, an exception to her rule on privacy, was unfortunately nowhere to be seen.

Sakura removed the remaining articles of clothing, her capris and sports' bra. She slipped slowly into the water, and turned to her left so that the front of her rib cage faced downstream. She soaked for a few minutes before having the strangest sensation. It felt as if someone was close. _Real_ close. The intention of whoever is was was indiscernable.

She hurried to finish and got out of the water. She presses the fluffy cloths to her rib cage. She then wraps the first over the fluffy strip. She uses half the supply of hideous orange pieces. After redressing, Sakura gives Sasuke's leg wrappings a quick wash. She goes back to camp and sets his wraps by the fire to dry.

"Ne, Sakura," Naruto, now awake, asks, "This test is taking a long time. We only have a day or two left. So, I was thinking we should make our own scroll and just head to the tower!"

"Naruto, that's cheating and you know it!"

"Yeah! So let's do it!"

Naruto and Sakura continue to argue, Sakura slowly being pulled into Naruto's half-baked scheme.

"Well… I guess… If you're so sure that there's no alternative," Sakura concedes as Naruto gathers the will to open it.

"…I would not do that if I were you," someone calls from the forest canopy. In an extra measure, the ninja drops down and places a hand over Naruto's.

"Kabuto-san," The two mumble simultaneously. Kabuto warns the two of the consequences of those who tried to cheat the Shinomori last year. Sasuke returns.

"Oi, what are you doing wandering about alone?" He asks. He than turns to Naruto and Sakura. "Why are you relaxing your guard? He is not a member of this team. He's an enemy."

"Whoa, kiddo! Take it easy!" Kabuto throws his hands up in front of his face. "If you really don't trust me, how about I earn that trust?"

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. Kabuto walks over to Sakura. He kneels before her and whispers to her. She nods and tries to relax when he puts his hands on both sides of her chest.

Sasuke glares at the man, sharingan blazing. Naruto yells at him in out rage, "What the hell are ya doing?!"

"Its alright," Kabuto assures them, "My father is a medic-nin. He taught me a couple of C-ranked medical ninjutsu."

Sasuke asks, "And why are you helping Sakura?"

"We konoha-nin need to aid one another, ne?" With that said, he turns to Sakura and graces her with a pleasant smile. "You are in a lot of pain, regardless that you choose not to show it." A slow but steady blush draws over Sakura's cheeks, reddening further when Kabuto replaces his hands on her sides. "Or are you just shy? Is this your first time…"

"Eh?"

"…Being healed by a medic-nin?" Sakura looks down momentarily, thoroughly embarrassed. She decides its best if she postpones speaking while he works.

A faint glow rises in Kabuto's hands. He works diligently on the Sakura's ribs. His fingers graze the area above her individual ribs. Going beyond what she expected, Sakura feels his fingers continue their roaming over the sore spots all over her chest, some just below her forming breasts and others near her abdomen. If not for the fact that he took away almost all of the pain and damage, Sakura would believe his work was less than "professional".

"You are lucky that the bone suffered the worst extent of the damage. I would not have been of any help had you torn up any muscles or tendons."

She laughs off her nervousness, "Ah, I was inspecting my injury back at the stream. When I tried to take my self-evaluation further, pressing some chakra into the area around my ribs, I couldn't make anything of the mess. It was too complex."

"Ah, yes, many of the medic trainees at the hospital are given that first impression."

Sakura looks him in the eyes, astonished at the truth written there.

"Well, you are good to go now! Good luck to you rookies…Ah, Sakura-chan!" After he reaches into the pack on his waist, he tosses a book to her. "You might find it benefitial to read up on this."

--

To all the Sakura haters (if there is one here)--many things needed to happen and Sakura would have gotten in the way if she had found her calling before season 6. Its not her fault. Blame the plot no jutsu and move on. Or better yet, blame Kishimoto-san for being so dang infuriating. She's in a position where she has a chance to be a heroine, and yet, he assures us she won't be.


	3. Time to Shine, Shannaro!

**The Alternate Path**

**By Inner Self**

Wow, I've gotten past my writer's block and my doubts! Now all I need is for school to be blown to pieces. (Yays Alice Cooper!)

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or a better storyline than Kishimoto-san.

**Number Three: Time to Shine, Shannaro!**

'Sasuke-kun! Its hurting you. That mark: It appeared again. It was a split second, but I saw it. How do you expect to get through the test with using minimal chakra!...Sasuke-kun...'

"Hey, Sakura-chan?" Naruto inquires. "What was that thing that just appeared on Sasuke?"

'Oh, no! I can't let him find out!' "Huh? Heh, don't be silly Naruto. Honestly, you've been imagining the strangest things lately."

Sakura and Naruto-kun watch as Kakashi reappears in a puff of smoke next to Sasuke and escorts him out of the examination building.

------

Kankurou's fight ended, and the examiner allowed the genin to take a short break. Sakura went to the restroom to wash her face. When she looked up, she met the eyes of her rival.

"Sakura, what a coincidence seeing you hear."

"Ino..."

"I see you've been working hard! Having Sasuke-kun to pull all the weight, its no wonder you made it this far. But the Great Sasuke-kun can't help you now. That last match was quite brutal wasn't it? Kankurou of the Sand Village and the rest of those genin won't me merciful, haha, are you scared, Cry-baby?"

Sakura pushed the fear away from the surface, and answered with a confident smirk, "Hmph! I'm not scared. I can't be if I want to get anywhere in the world of the ninja! How about you, Ino-pig?"

Ino was astonished for a split second, but regained her composure and left. Sakura went grabbed a towel.

'Even if I'm afraid, I cannot show it. I must get stronger in order to help Sasuke-kun.' Sakura then looked at her long, silky hair. 'Until now, I've always been a hinderance to my team. This hair is perfect representation of that. How many nights have I spent hours washing and conditioning it just to appeal to Sasuke-kun?' Sakura reached for one of her kunai. 'I will not slack anymore!' She reached behind her head with it. Then all the strands from her shoulder-down began to fall. 'I will become the the greatest kunoichi Sasuke, even the world, has ever seen!' Sakura took a few seconds touching up her hair to make the lengths even and then headed out.

Naruto-kun was the first to notice of course.

"Sakura-chan! Sakura-chaaan! Your hair!"

"Huh?" Sakura pretended not to notice. "Oh, this? Well, I just decided I needed to change."

"Huh? Hey, don't you mean 'a' change?"

"Naruto, this is a pointless conversation! What ever happened to you being a man? Act a bit wiser, will you?" But Sakura thought he was right. She just wanted to supprise him when the time came.

The board started choosing the next opponents.

Kakashi-sensei then tapped Sakura-chan on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Now its your time to prove your a real woman. Its your turn."

Sakura stared at the screen a while...'I'm up against Ino.' She and Ino made their way towards the floor. The examiner checked to see if they were ready.

"The next match is cough, cough between Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino. Couch, cough Contestants ready? Take your stances... cough and you may begin!"

Sakura took out two of her kunai and flung them at Ino. Ino caught the fastest one and shot it back at the other.

'Wow, Ino-pig can aim.'

Sakura dashed at Ino and threw a right push kick, but Ino swiped it away. Sakura quickly turned in midair and did a turning back kick. The kick made impact at Ino's stomach and she hopped away to receive less damage from the force. As Sakura recovered, Ino though a punch with her left fist.

"Nice haircut, Forehead Girl!"

An angry Sakura caught it and received a slap from Ino's right, which shocked both Sakura and Ino.

'Wha...?!' Sakura then remembered what she promised herself a few minutes ago. 'This isn't a real fight. Its like we're just practicing, and Ino knows it as well as I do.' She touched the end of her pink hair. '?!...I need to wake up. I need to get serious.' Sakura jumped a good distance away from Ino.

"Ino! I'm not going to fight you over sasuke anymore! The fact is, I am the only one good enough for him...that is, unless you're going fight for **real**... Ino-**pig**!"

"What did you say!...Take that back Sakura or you're going to seriously regret it!"

From over on the sidelines, Temari's head perked up. (A/N: I don't know; She was sleeping or something shruggs.) 'Well, well. Maybe that ordeal in the second examination wasn't a fluke after all. Now I'll be more fun getting revenge for my fan.' (A/N: She fixed it but isn't satisfied. How alike she and Gaara-sama are!)

Sakura took her headband off and re-equipped it to her forehead. Ino copied her.

As always, Sakura lead on the offensive, and performed bushin no jutsu. Two Sakuras appeared on either side of her, perfectly mimicking her emotions, form, and chakra usages. Ino was easily confused.

'I don't know which one is the real Sakura! Its impossible to tell...!' "Masaka!!" The Sakuras on the right and left disappeared and the middle one came in and slammed her fist into Ino's cheek. Ino fell down that time and rolled over, recovering before Sakura could smash her against the floor. Ino evaded to a good distance.

"Hehe... Ino, what lovely hair you have. I bet you spend hours out of your nights perfecting it."

"You hypocrite!..." Ino looked at Sakura's freshly done hairchop. She took out a kunai while throwing Sakura a glare, then gripped her ponytail and sliced it right off, donating it generously to the floor where it was randomly scattered. "Ahaha, you think **I need this?! Well, you can have it! The whole damn thing! Orahh!' **All of Ino's subordinates knew she had lost the battle at that point. With her in such a state of pissed-off-ness, there was no telling what Ino would do.

"You forget Sakura that I have been ahead of you as a kunoichi since day one! This blood limit is my proof...!"

"Luckily, I know what I need to about that technique!" Ino glares at Sakura while preparing the seals. "Shintenshin no jutsu (Mind-Body Communnication Technique) uses the controller's psycho-energy to transfer to another's body, but the energy can only be shot in a slow, steady line. Thus, the technique can only be used if your target is immobile... Are you so desperate as to use a non-combat technique?"

"Well, let's just give it a shot, okay? Ninpo: Shintenshin no jutsu!" Sakura takes off running and then pauses. Every Konoha genin awaits impatiently. Ino's body slumps foreward. Shikamaru and Chouji lean over the rail to get a better view.

"I told you that technique wouldn't work on me." Shikamaru sighs feeling his comrade's failure.

"Precisely why I didn't use it," Sakura goes wide-eyed in shock. "Do you feel like a helpless little mouse?"

**'Of course I do! This completely sucks!!**--What do I do? I can't move my legs!'

"That's right. I've used my chakra-filled hair to bind you in place. You are now immobile **thus **you cannot escape."

'Let me go!**--Or how about you just let me out! I've got to go save our asses!'** With a moments hessitation...

"Ninpo:..."

...Sakura switches her psyche and Inner Sakura is brought forth**. 'Come on explosive chakra! Knock up the floor and those damn threads!'**

"Shintenshin no Jutsu!" **"Shannaro!!!"**

------

And what will happen next? Haha, are you angry with me cutting it off there? Just kidding, I'm already working on the next chapter!! So...stop making me write time-taking authors notes! Write me if you don't understand the fighting and japanese terms, k?

Yata-Yata, Read and Review!!


	4. Anger Managing and the Rivals in Love!

The Alternate PathIV

By Inner Self

I'm so glad (and easy to please, no offense) that I have two faithful viewers! TT Gai-sensei, art thou proud?? So, what I did with the last chapter was I cut it like they do in the anime. It was fun. And its also sleepy time. I'm having so much fun with this story so you know I'd update soon if I could, but it'll probably be next week at the most. I swear, this is the toughest school year I have ever faced. (I typed this the night I updated ch. 3)

**Her equals Sakura, who Ino is possessing/Ino's current body**

Disclaimer: I am not Masashi Kishimoto (?), so um, so I don't own this! Yeah! (Shannaro!) (Does Kishimoto-san own this or is he a slave to the editor?)

**Number Four: Anger Managing and the Rivals in Love!**

Ino succeeded in launching her attack as well as preventing Inner Sakura's. 'Daisenko…nani?!' Ino became cold almost instantly, and felt a throbbing pain in her, um, head? Ino clutched **her** head and gritted **her** teeth. Then she felt another presence behind within Sakura's mind. Sakura grabbed and pinned Ino, and then knocked the wind out her, having no help from her sleeping inner self.

'No time to lose!'

'Oh know!' Ino could accurately guess what Sakura planned to do.

Sakura ran like a drunken woman towards Ino's body. The pain of keeping control was excruciating. Ino's parasitism was causing a migraine. At any moment she could regain control. Sakura picked up Ino's body, feeling almost ready to recede, concentrated all thoughts onto her right fist, and gave Ino a good smack. Instead of smashing, the punch only threw Ino, which was enough her body to fly back approximately five feet. It did a flop that landed Ino's body onto the stomach. Sakura felt a momentary chill and lost control. Ino, pissed as hell, need a good scream.

"Aah! **Now, Sakura, you better thank me for being so generous…!"** But really, Ino couldn't bare to kill her ex-best friend. "I, **Haruno Sakura, **withdraw from this…!**"**

"**Sakura!!!" **Naruto had given many good cheers, but had been too absorbed through the fight since Ino's jutsu to commentate. "Sakura! Wake up, damnit! You almost had her! Don't give up, **dattebayo!! **If you can't beat her… then… **You're not a woman**!"

Ino raised **her **hand, 'That won't work Naruto—ah!' **Her** hand wavered.

Sakura heard the voice. Little by little, she started moving within the depths of her mind. 'Naruto's right. The promise and my hair. I promised I would not lose.' With the sudden switch of Sakura's psyches, Sakura had barely become dormant and woke up to take place of her lightly sleeping second psyche.

'Sakura! This is impossible! This is all just a bad dream!'

With a cough, the examiner inquires, "Yes, as you were saying?"

Ino's bickering stirred Inner Sakura and gave her a rude awakening. **'Then I suggest you leave Ino. You're not welcome!' **Inner Sakura fully gained control over her territory once again. The 'guest' suddenly felt very small. Inner Sakura grew to an overwhelming stature and trapped Ino within the palms of her hands. **'Get out or I swear I'll crush you!'**

To which Sakura struggled with one of the simplest replies, "No! I... mustn't give... up!"

Ino knew she had lost all her chances of success. The Sakuras obliged Ino, and she undid the technique, "Kai!" All of her psycho-energy shot into her body.

Sakura was gasping for air, silently rejoicing her perseverance through the extensive mental assault. Ino rolled over and sat up, coughing, and recently feeling the aftermath of smacking the floor. She grabbed her bruised cheek.

"Cough, I didn't know you had two psyches!"

"There's a lot the world needs to learn of me. I'm going to be the world's most appreciated kunoichi, shannaro!" Kakashi smiled at this and turned to look at Naruto.

"Oh? You don't want to play rivals anymore?" Ino antagonized Sakura, but with exponentially less hate than there was before. _You like Sakuke-kun too, don't you Ino? Then from this moment on, we are rivals in love!_

"I'm always going to be your rival, as long as you don't lag behind." _You are a bud. I am a flower, of course, but you're still just a bud... oh stop crying... It's not like its a bad thing, really! _

Meanwhile, a flashback of Ino and Sakura picking flowers runs through Ino's mind and her eyes smile, "I've already bloomed. It's you I'm worried about. This fight is only about Sasuke-**kun** to you."

_Sakura, what I meant was, you may just be a flower bud right now, but I can garentee that a late-bloomer like you will surpass a spring flower, just you wait!_

This time, both charged.

_"Ino... why did you give me this ribbon?"_

_"That's easy, to hold your hair away from your face. After all, it would be such a shame for a bud to wilt."_

'Ino, gomen-nasai. It was all my fault. I started that fight.'

_...rivals in love... _'I bet you thought way more about matters other than Sasuke-kun.'

_Sasuke-kun and I got onto the same team. Ino, now there's no way I can lose to you._

'I didn't realize it then, but that day, right after those words, there was hurt in your eyes.'

_...rivals in love... _Ino never consulted Sakura about the fight, and felt guilty about that at least. She thought the dark clouds would pass, but then it began to rain. The realization that they were now enemies...

It was over before either of them noticed. Ino looked from her hand to Sakura's face, and then from Sakura's to hers. Sakura had enough fatigue to evade and counter, but knew she shouldn't. She believed she had deserved what she got, and held no regret.

What then came out of Sakura's mouth was but a whispered apology, "Ino, I am so sorry... about that day."

Ino was more mature than her, and deserved to win. She would make a great kunoichi, and one of the most beautiful blossoms among them.

Sakura felt peaceful as she fell backwards...

"I quit!"

**"What?!"**

The rushed words came before Sakura hit the ground and with less time to spare before her friend passed out. (Did I say that? Yay!)

Hayate coughed again and said, "Yamanaka Ino has withdrawn from the competition, cough, therefore the winner is Haruno Sakura."

Chouji was dumb-founded with his her decision, but Asuma-sensei couldn't see much wrong within it. In fact, he thought that due to the circumstances it was the right one, for Ino. Of course, Shikamaru was the only one who saw it coming, not like the sound or sand-nin _cared_ or anything... much. How troublesome, ey?

**------**

Ever since my writer's block took a hike (I hope its dead and gone, yeah.) I've been doing great. This story'll and up and down if its on your favorites list. Some chapters will suit you better than others. The good parts seem far, but that only because of school. School sux and needs to be blown to pieces. Btw, a poll: Which would be better to try: NaruSaku or GaaSaku? (Maybe a mix. Or she could go boy-crazy like Hachi in 'Nana.')

**Please Read and Review!** Tell people about this story cuz not many people like action fiction! (Hey, that rhymed!...ja ne!)


	5. Dark Clouds Scatter for One Month's Time

**The Alternate Path V**

**By InnerSelf**

I bet you all are SO mad at me. I'm sorry that I don't have time for much lately. I hope to work harder in the future. On another note, I'm testing for my black belt (martial arts) and every time I think of the it I am reminded of the Chuunin Exams. Yays to me! I'm gonna be a Chuunin! Let's just hope a war doesn't break out!

I dedicate this to shi hime!

**Number Five: Dark clouds scatter for one months time!**

"I quit!"

**"What?!" **

**------**

Kakashi and Asuma sensei appeared in a cloud of smoke on the ground floor where the two kunoichi had conflicted.

"When an opponent is caught off guard, a shinobi must always take the chance to strike. That's one of the shinobi rules. Sakura knew it well." And then Kakashi gave a stealthy smile, "But that was not the case."

"Yes. Something Sakura said after hitting the winning blow must have triggered it. Ino's pride wouldn't let her win."

So close senseis, but no cigar.

Asuma-sensei lended Ino a shoulder, and they walked up the stairs together with Kakashi-sensei and Sakura, who was carried in his arms.

"You were doing so good!" Chouji cried from the balcony.

"Sorry, Chouji-kun! I guess Shikamaru is rubbing off on me..." Ino was feeling terribly exhausted. She walked over to where Kakashi was.

"Um...Kakashi-sensei? Will she be okay?"

"Not to worry, Yamanaka-san. Sakura has just suffered chakra exhaustion for the most part."

"But she banged her head pretty hard."

"And so have you. If Sakura had thrown her last punch, you would be in the same condition. I suggest you rest a bit."

"Yes, I will, sir."

'Augh, just looking at Sakura's condition is tiresome. I'll come back after I get some ice packs.'

"Yamanaka-san, how about I go get you two some ice packs?" Kakashi inquired, but just then Asuma came up and placed two in Ino's hands. "Ah, see? There you go."

'Ey? Taking credit for other's doings?' Ino sat down next to Sakura, knowing she was only irritated with Kakashi-sensei because of her haggard state. She put her ice pack on her bruised cheek and Sakura's where the bruise of her own cheek was forming.

'Augh, what am I? You're babysitter? No, far from it. You're grown up now, Sakura.' Ino chuckled, and then nodded off to sleep.

------

_"Class, today we will be making flower arrangements."_

_"Ino-chan, can you help me?"_

_"Hey, what are friends for?"_

_The dream world skips to a new scene._

_------_

"I see you're awake now." Ino woke up a few minutes after Sakura.

Sakura didn't want to waste time with small talk. "Ino, I'm terribly sorry! I was so stupid and embarrassed for saying such a moronic thing. I just couldn't back down."

"It's okay! _Don't worry_." Ino stressed the last part.

"Right. Let's not waste another moment fighting... mentally!"

"Oh? Finally becoming a serious fighter?" And they both laughed before trying to peer over at the next match below them.

"Forehead, this is impossible. We have to get up."

They both rose and walked over to Naruto and Shikamaru.

"Hey! Sakura-chan, its about time you got up! They're already on the final match!"

"Final match?!--" To which she was cut off, "Yup! It's Chouji against that gauntlet guy from Sound, but Sakura, Bushy Brow has already fought."

"Of course if this is the last match..."

"...He got badly injured by that Sand guy."

Gloom overcame Sakura as Naruto filled Ino her in on the details of the matches they missed while unconcious.

Ino knew she needed to drag Sakura's thoughts away from the negative news. "Lets just hope Chouji can even out our losses, okay?"

Naruto added, "Yeah, I don't know what Chouji can do but he'll definitely show that Sound shinobi, dattebayo!"

Ino couldn't keep the thought off her tongue and replied, "Was that your best cheer?! Baka! How does that outburst help?You'll never change!"

Sakura tuned Ino out and looked over towards the other side. That fan girl was glaring at her. Revenge was all over her face. "Kankuro, your so right. That match took too long for a _powerful _kunoichi. It must have been a fluke."

Kankurou didn't know what to think. "Are you sure? Two flukes in one day?"

"All she has going for her is luck." (A/N: Doesn't Sakura inherit bad luck?)

Sakura couldn't understand what they were talking about so she turned her eyes towards her friend's comrade's match.

------

Chouji was defeated within a minute. It turns out Shikamaru hadn't do enough research. From the moment Chouji used the Baika no Jutsu, his body became like a giant ear. He was a better target for his Dosu's kyomeisen, sound wave-based attack. Asuma assured the Konoha genin that he'd be fine after a helping of yakiniku (Korean BBQ).

All the losers (oh, how nice!) left while the winners stayed behind. They were told to grab one of the papers within a box and to call out the number. Sakura called out a four. As for the rest of the opponents: Neji (1-in his dreams), Naruto (2), Gaara (3), Shino (5), Kankurou (6), Shikamaru (7), Temari (8), and Dosu (10). The remaining '9' was given to Sasuke, who was still unconcious in the medical wing(?). Temari was the first to ask of the purpose of the drawing. Sandaime replied that, a month from now, Konoha would be hosting a tournament.

...And Sakura would be fighting Gaara.

------

Next chapter is definitely going to be longer than this. Its just a good stopping point. I have to be careful from now on...Isn't this fun? I'm screwing with the timeline! Probably the rest of Naruto (not mine!) from now on. Sorry it took me so long.

**Read and Review, arigato!**


	6. Luck? What Luck? Part One

**The Alternate Path VI **

**By Inner Self **

The last chapter sucked, I admit it! I'm tired of remembering everything that happens in Naruto! Starting now, its becoming my story! (I think… yes!)

**Disclaimer: Again, me no own Naruto! **

**Number Six: Luck? What Luck? Part I**

Sakura walked out of the room where the Prelims had taken place. She felt numb. After all the things Naruto had told Sakura, she didn't see how she was going to win. So she decided then and there, she was going to give it her best shot, and if she lost the match, her life wouldn't go along with it. This was the scariest ordeal Sakura had to face, and through it, she would be alone. As not to waste time worrying Sakura put it behind her to solve later.

**'Heck, if Lee could put up such a great fight without ninjutsu or genjutsu, we may have a chance! Shannaro, you just need to march up to Kakashi-sensei and demand he oversees your training!' **And with that she followed the escort shinobi out of the Shinomori. She then ran along the rooftops in the direction of the hospital to which Sasuke had been moved.

------

When Sakura found Kakashi, she saw that he was in the middle of an argument with Naruto. Of course he would want training from Kakashi…

"Kaka-sensei, I was wondering if you could supervise my training."

"Oh, Sakura, that's right; you made it into the Third Exam as well."

Sakura inwardly glared at this. **'What does he mean by also?!' **

"As I was telling Naruto, I have found a trainer for the both of you. He's an even greater teacher than me. He's a special jounin."

"A special jounin? Kakashi, it doesn't matter. We're not going to push you away just because he's supposedly a better teacher. This way, all four of us can train together, right?"

Naruto then angrily announced, "Sakura-chan, he's playing favorites! He wants to give Sasuke-teme special training!"

"Kakashi-sensei?"

"It's not true. I just couldn't pick which student to train so I put your names in a hat and told Gai to draw one."

To which they both yelled, "Liar! Then why are we **both** being trained by some guy we don't know!"

"He's standing right behind you." As soon as both of them turned around to look, Kakashi escaped.

"There wasn't anyone there," and Naruto cut off Sakura by shouting, "Aah! He's not there!" And Sakura added, "I can't believe he tricked us like that!"

**'Kakashi-sensei's gonna pay after his last month of living! Hurry up and learn a deadly move so we can practice on him, shannaro!'**

Someone coughed from behind and when they turned around, Naruto screamed again, "It's the closet pervert!"

"How rude! Is that how you talk to your elders. Be thankful Kakashi asked me for help. I for one would never train you otherwise." Ibisu glanced at Sakura. 'On the other hand…'

**'Whoa, this guys creepy. I say we ditch him. Naruto can be the decoy!' **

The plan fell from heaven. Naruto got Ibisu hung up in a ridiculous bet dealing with a game of tag. If Naruto one, Ibisu would be out of his face about Kakashi's favor. They were gone in a matter of seconds.

------

Sakura walked out of the hospital. She found Ino.

"Ah, Sakura, I was waiting for you!"

"You were?"

"Yes, I need to inquire about the Third Exam. How are you going to prepare for it? I could help you?"

"I wasn't going to worry about it until tomorrow..." But Ino shook her head at Sakura's reply.

"There's no time for that! If it was such a struggle to get this far, you need to train asap!"

"Oh, yes, I guess you're right. I was just meaning that I didn't want to think about my opponent." Ino, as curious as anyone could be, leaned towards her, bug-eyed.

"Ino, I don't want to talk about him."

"Sasuke-kun?! Are you fighting Sasuke-kun!" It sounded much like a statement.

"No, but I still don't want to talk about my match."

So Ino continued on her advice for training. She asked if Sakura knew her strengths.

"Kakashi says I'd make a great genjutsu user." Ino's eyes lit up and she dragged Sakura to who-knows-where.

"Where are we going, Ino?" Sakura growled, testing her patience.

"To Kurenai's house. She frequents my parents' flowershop so I have her address memorized."

------

Ino knocked on the door. Kurenai answered it within a matter of seconds.

"Oh, Yamanaka-chan, Haruno-chan, what can I do for you?"

Sakura chose to handle the conversation (I guess Ino just stood there), "Kurenai-sensei, please, I have a big favor to ask!"

'She sounds desperate, **yet**, polite.' "I hope its about the test. Woman-to-woman talks can wait until after the test." Ino and Sakura swiftly nodded their heads.

"Yes, I was hoping you would supervise my training. I mean, although you have to overlook Shino, I was wondering if you could teach me as well."

"This isn't the more the merrier. Kakashi knew this and took Sasuke under his wing," Sakura started to frown at this, "but since I sympathize with your opponent being Sabaku no Gaara, I will help you out."

Ino's heart was racing. 'Sabaku no Gaara! Naruto said he was extremely powerful! Is she **nuts or something!**?'

"Come to me whenever you need to find good sources on Genjutsu, although I suggest browsing the library. Lucky for you, genjutsu is one of the things you can expect to give you the advantage over Gaara, but you need to combined it with another strength."

"I understand. Arigato."

"Take care, Sakura," Kurenai paused to see Ino in a trance, "and you too, Ino."

------

Ino and Sakura had decided to stop by Ichiraku and check if Naruto was there. With no sign of him, Sakura forced Ino to sit down and eat.

"Come on, Ino. It won't kill you."

"Its horrible!"

"Its good for the soul. Now, sit!"

Ino reluctantly ordered the chicken ramen with green tea to neuralize the terrible cholesterol soup. Sakura ordered the pork ramen which was one of Naruto's favorites.

"Sakura, I just want to let you know, I've always believed in you...being insane. Since you're actually going through with this, maybe you could create a special genjutsu, one that attacked all of his weaknesses?"

Sakura gave up on the not mentioning her opponent. Understanding, learning, and visualizing him until the test was the only way to prepare to face him in the arena. **'Just be brave. Give it your best shot. You may even win if you try this time!'**

"Yes, but that would be more time consuming. I'm just going to write down all the genjutsus found in the library and find the most useful one. That way, I can find time to train in another strength."

"Like what?"

Sakura slumpped in her chair. "Ino, I don't know, but I was on a roll..."

Someone commented from behing the two. "On a roll, ey? Maybe you can win again with a fluke?" It was Temari. "They call me Temari the Wind Witch. Only the stongest can defeat me. So of course I would find it humiliating how we met in the Shinomori."

Ino was puzzled. The woman seemed hot-blooded and scary, like that Anko lady who was proctor of the Second Exam. "Sakura, what's she talking about?"

"She's just mad because I broke her precious fan. Tell me Temari...have you named it yet?"

Temari's eyebrows creased for a moment but lifted again. She smirked and countered, "I just hope by some miracle granted from God that you are saved from my brother so I can have the opportunity of a rematch. My wrath can wait. They don't call me the Wind Witch for nothing. Ta-tah, children."

Ino asked, "What was her problem?"

Sakura asked, "Who calls her the Wind Witch? Did she steal that nickname?"

They both laughed and talked for about an hour longer. They left their separate ways home after Ino's fifth green tea.

------

See! I made up for lost time! But I think I'm rushing it a little...yeah. It worked out better then I planned with the Kurenai part, I guess. Please continue to give me your loving support!

Read and Review! Ja Ne!

Inner Self


	7. Luck? What Luck? Part Two

**The Alternate Path VII**

**By Inner Self**

Ain't I lucky? Today was a snow day so I wrote 2 chapters (this is the 3rd)! Today, I reached 1.5 hits (from 900). Thank-you for reading! I'll do my best!

...I wrote that then and this is Now.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto! What are you gonna do about it?**

**Number Seven: Luck? What luck? Part Two**

Even on her first night of sleep after five days in the wilderness, she arose not fully energized. She had spent her dream fighting a battle she was unable to win. With all the fantasy punches she through, the mushroom never fell down or died. Her dream-self became frantic when a badger and a snake were added to the showdown. When Sakura woke up, beads of cold sweat covered her brow. Turning her head slowly, she glanced at her clock and grimaced. It was only five. Deciding to get a head start on the competition, she headed towards the library. 'I'll just get a pastry on the way and be there by 5:30 when it opens!'

After reaching the library, Sakura was still a couple of minutes early. That was when she realized Ino wanted to accompany her and be of use. Sakura took a step in the direction of Ino's house/flowershop, and then dropped the idea, being too lazy and not caring how much she pissed her best friend off. 'Either way I lose, whether she nags about me neglecting her or she neglecting her sleep.'

Sakura looked over to the see-through door. An old man had finally flipped the lock, and motioned for her to come inside. "Ah, Sakura-chan! We're open now. Glad to see a young face this early!"

"Actually, I'm testing for the Chuunin Exams, sir. I don't think that's appropriate anymore."

"You are now? Well, congratulations! Only a select few make it into the Third Exam, Sakura_-san_."

"Domo-arigato." Sakura answered half-heartedly.

As Sakura routinely did, she made her way for the shinobi reference section. Not even a full row was dedicated to either ninjutsu, genjutsu, or taijutsu. They shared two rows that were twenty feet long. Sakura browsed through the resources of Genjutsu and pulled eight of them from the shelves, putting back the one on the basics**. 'Yeah, we've had enough with those, Little-Miss-Perfectionist!' **(A/N: Even though Sakura only knows basic techniques, she's trained then to be at jounin level.)

After skimming through a couple of books, all Sakura found was an imitation technique similar to the Body-Flicker, which hid your true position. After weighing her choices, she decided to reject it. It was basically an improvisation technique that replaced Substitution. The jutsu was for use when resources like logs for simple substitution were not present. Since Sakura was perfect when it came to kawarimi no jutsu, she didn't see why she should waste her time on it. 'But I could show it to Naruto...'

It was already half-past noon and Sakura was having no luck in her findings. Genjutsu was all she knew, and she couldn't imagine any of it succeeding against Sabaku no Gaara! Depressed, the kunoichi headed towards Ichiraku ramen.

"Ah, you must be Naruto's friend! What can I get for you?' Sakura groaned, all of her jubilant facade gone due to exhaustion. "You sound terrible...and you have the face to match it...would one ramen on the house help in any way?'

She tried to cheer up for the worried jii-san. "Daijoubu, I'm just tired and stressed."

"And that's why I'm worried. Barely a young lady and you're already near your first mental breakdown!" He said the next thing as he motioned towards a customer, "Why, you could learn a thing or too about the leisure life from this lady."

Sakura turned to the woman. She had hazelnut eyes and honey-blonde hair. She smiled at her. Then she raised her cup to her lips, sipped, and set it back down. The woman nodded, and said, "Yes, but believe me, every one goes through hectic times."

"Yes, I'm just nervous thats all. I mean, as long as I don't procrastinate, everything will be alright."

'What a responsible girl. She'll definitely get somewhere in life.' The woman thought.

"...I'll have the miso ramen with green tea please."

Jii-san always likes to bargain with the youths so he deducted the tea from the bill. "You need it to calm your mind, right? Don't worry, it was nothing."

"Arigato."

------

The next day, Sakura went to a tea house for lunch. She was more stressed than last time. Ever since two days ago, the others had been training. She hadn't a head start at all. In fact, she was behind because _first_ she needed to find _what _to do in order to train, while the others mimicked their senseis. Sakura had thought of asking Kurenai again, but there was no way she could lend her services. That would hinder Aburame's training. Sakura would once again become a burden.

Sakura was seated in a booth, seeing as there was no crowd and ordered a sandwich along with her (adjective) (A/N: Let's make it green again.) tea. The tea was first. Sakura stared at the table while she sipped the hot beverage. After a few minutes, she heard the seat across from her become occupied (A/N: What's the sound effect for that?) and looked up to see the young woman again. She was wearing a _very _showy gi top as she did yesterday...and awesome high-heels which she knew her mother would never approve of.

"Good afternoon, Miss. Nice to meet you again." **'Looks like she's sick of ramen, too!'**

"Still bummed out, I see?"

"Yes. Have you heard of the Chuunin Exams?"

"Of course."

"I'm in it."

"Really?" There was a bit of intrigue when she asked this. "How is that going?"

"The final round will start in twenty-eight days time. Unfortunately, I can't decide a strategy or what new skill to learn in the mean time."

"Have you tried improving the basics? I can assure you its best to advance after honing them."

"Yes."

"Yes, Miss, and that's why I sit at the library day in and day out. I'm getting so far behind..."

"Has you're sensei taught you chakra control?"

"We've completed the tree-climbing exercise, yes," Sakura took a Naruto-like pose by rubbing the bridge of her nose, "And I was practically flawless. Made it to the top on the first try!"

The young woman's eyebrows quirked up, and she immediately called to the waitress and asked for a piece of paper and a utensil. As she scribbled a note, she told Sakura, "I think you will find this section useful, and these books within it. Borrow them and meet me at this location in the forest around seven. Its not too far in and there's a clearing there. You'll see me within a matter of minutes," As she got up to leave, she added, "Don't worry about the Third Exam anymore tonight, okay?"

"Got it. Um, by the way, Miss, my name's Haruno. Haruno Sakura."

"Good-bye, Sakura. You may call me Ton Ton."

With nod of her head, and a smile on her face, the young woman moved the flap at the doorway and left.

**------**

Shannaro! Its finally getting good! Or am I just saying that? Meh, it was always good! Bring on the next chapter!

**Ino: Where the hell am I?!!!! **

**Inner Self: oro?... anyways... READ AND REVIEW! ;P**


	8. Where Have YOU Been!

**The Alternate Path VIII **

**By Inner Self **

Konbanwa guys! Its ten and I would've started writing sooner, but my mom wanted me and my brother to put a stupid shelf(?) together…she COULD have done it by herself—if she wasn't so dam lazy. - -

Also, I hope that at least one of my readers knows who 'Ton Ton' is. (I was gonna give her a more revealing alias, but…)

**Number Eight: Where Have YOU Been?! **

"I swear Sakura I'm going kill you and bring you back to life!" Ino growled to herself. Her friend had been constantly on the move for two days now. She couldn't track her location. The only place she could think to look would be the library, but unfortunately she gets lost in the maze of shelves. Besides, it was uncool to study, let alone be caught inside that horrible place. Books were vile creatures that ate your personal life for dinner!!!

On the second day, afternoon, Ino gave up all hope and stood stiff in front of the glass door. She whined, "Oh, Forehead, why'd you have to leave me? You traitor! I could be shopping or gardening instead of helping your sorry ass!" while throwing her forearm dramatically in front of her eyes. So with that, Ino entered the library in search of her friend.

It just so happened, she got lost in the botany section and decided it best to use Hinge and wait for Sakura to appear.

------

Ino having become bored out of her mind waiting on Forehead-Girl, aside from reading all the lasted events in the world of botany, undid the Hinge (A/N: Wow, and how long was that in effect?) and left the store. As she was walking down the usual route taken to her house, she spotted a familiar pink in the crowd. The natural pink of…

"Oi, Forehead!"

Sakura was moving in the exact opposite direction as Ino, she stopped and danced through the dense street over to Ino.

"Yeah, pig?"

"Yeah? Where the hell have you been?! I've been looking all over for you," Ino whined, "We were suppose to work together. You said you'd let me assist you and you ditch me right off the back!"

**'Geez, can't a girl forget?' **

"I'm sorry…I forgot. I didn't try to desert you, honestly!"

"So hows the search coming along without me?"

"I met a lady who said she'd help with my training."

"Really? Is she a chuunin or a jounin?"

"No rank."

"Nani?!"

"She can't be a shinobi of leaf or any of the other countries. She doesn't have a headband."

"She could be a rogue."

"Yeah, probably…do you think she's trouble?"

"Hey, you need all the help you can get! Let's let this one slip, okay, and if you suspect anything, report it to Kaka-sensei?"

The pink-haired kunoichi's eyes narrowed, "…"

"Um, Sakura, I'm going to turn on this street, 'kay. Come visit me whenever you need help; when you pick up on the genjutsu training! Ja ne Forehead."

"Bye, Ino-pig." With that, she vanished into the swarming crowd.

------

Ino was walking along, singing a song, when her feet were knocked from underneath her. A spherical shape was scampering down the street screaming 'pu-eh!' Yeah, needless to say Ino was bewildered.

"Ton Ton--Aah! Miss," someone called out to her, panting for breath, "was that a pig that ran into you just now?" It was a young woman with short, jet black hair, of about her early 20s, wearing stylish high-heels w/ side straps and a fishnet covered by a navy yukata.

"A pig?" She asked, and then after a slight pause, "I guess so."

"Oiee, I'm so sorry! That was my friend's pet. Does it hurt anywhere?" Ino shook her head.

"Well, then, please excuse me, miss, have a good day." And the girlish woman jogged away after the porky.

------

"Thank-you for helping me, Miss…?"

"Yamanaka Ino, um…?"

"Shi-Shisume. I don't have a last name…" (A/N: very clever. - -)

"You don't have a last name?" Ino asked. Shisume told her that she was poor in the country she came from and that surnames were only given to the upper classes.

Ino had tailed after the genki woman, having nothing better to do when she gets home. "I wonder why Ton Ton here, that's her name right," Shisume nods, "got so worked up, the poor thing."

Shizume started playing with the pig's front paws, "Everytime P-O-R-K is mentioned, she gets scared and hides in her master's arms, but she wasn't here. Ton Ton'll just have to settle for second-best: Me."

"Pueh!"

"Can I see her?" Shisume passed Ton Ton, and Ino cradled her in her arms. They walked off to a teashop and conversed. Ah, the simple life.

The talk started off with Ino remarking how she liked additions to her tea and all the wonders of herbal remedies. Shisume actually corrected her on some facts here and there. The pig would 'pu-eh' from time to time. Ino glanced around after that, as to make sure no acquaintances were present. With that, she pointed out one of the books of herbal remedies to Shisume.

"Really?! All of them?!"

"Well, I haven't read all of the books in Konoha's library, but I've read most. In fact, I read that one four times. It contains all the bare necessities of creating herbal medicines."

"Haha, and you've only been in town how long?" Shisume grinned and then rose to leave. "Oh, you can play with Ton-chan for a little longer. She'll come back to the inn were staying at whenever she wants."

Ino's eyes lit up at this, "Arigato Shisume-san!"

------

"Pu-eh…pweh!"

"Pueh, pu-wehh." Ino imitated, "aren't you just a cute little piggy!"

Ino at home, getting ready for the night. Ton Ton didn't want to leave yet. She had gone around the whole flower shop. Ino had even picked some sunflowers for her to take to her owners. "Are the inns here really that bad?"

"Pueh!"

------

**Wow…a no-point chapter about a pig…that was about it…and I couldn't even describe it with the right words. **

**Ino: You didn't do me justice. All have you know, I am not satisfied with this! **

**Mari: It needed to be done shrugs. I swear, I need more resources for these things…and I though doujins were bad. **

**Next chapter will be here soon, PROMISE!...IF YOU R&R **

**Ja Ne! **

**Inner Self **


	9. Master and Apprentice: Cliche, ain't it?

**The Alternate Path IX**

"Master and Apprentice: Cliché ain't it?"

by Inner Self

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto-kun.

Also, Shizune sux at making aliases. I am a narutard and proud of it. There's no way I'd misspell a name. Everything else… maybe.

------

Sakura slid her house door shut and started down the road. Within a few turns and a couple of minutes, she was back at the designated training site of cell seven. Sakura walked past the poles and into the forest. Parts of her could be seen through the trees. After a few minutes, around the designated time, the lady who went by the name of Ton Ton came into view.

"Ah, an early bird. I like that in a kunoichi. Anyways, up until now, we have been on a 'friend' status. This will change in order to receive my strict but effective training. Is this clear, Sakura?"

Sakura straightened her posture and slapped her hands down to her sides, eyes earnestly awaiting what the lady would do; hoping her instincts had led her to the right mentor. So far, Sakura hadn't been proven wrong.

"I have heard that you have chakra control that of the jonin level. Unfortunately, this is not enough. Therefore, I have decided to test you and see whether you are the type of person I want to train. Relax; I am just going to ask you a few questions.

"What were your grades at the Academy?"

"I was the best when it came to written exams and basic techniques."

"Intelligent…how long did you study?"

"Until dinner."

"How well do you cooperate with your team?"

Sakura laughed. "That's the one thing my teacher emphasizes. He says 'Those who don't follow the rules are trash and those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash.' To make a long story short, we're always synchronized in what we do on our missions…the only thing wrong with the group is…me."

Hmm? "You? What's wrong with you?"

"Well, I don't think anything is wrong with me _now. _I'll just have to wait and see. Until now, I have been lagging behind the two other genin on my team. I wish to believe its because I'm a first generation ninja with no kekkei genkai, but that's just a genjutsu I put up to fool myself. I have been selfishly neglecting my responsibilities in order to gain approval from a boy. It hurts to say so, but I know this is true… I _promise _to be focused and hard-working if you accept me as your student!"

The lady understood what the girl was striving to accomplish in the next three weeks. Only luck could save this girl. What role did she wish to adopt as a kunoichi? What skills would best suit her? "One last question: How much does pain and suffering affect you?"

"What do you mean? I can take a hit for my friends, and I don't show cowardice to my enemies _ever,_" A flashback of her fight with Ino surfaces, "I would rather see myself hurt than my friends."

"So you wish you could heal their wounds?"

"As well as protect them. I'm tired of seeing their backs."

The lady stared at Sakura, seemingly emotionless, yet still indecisive, "It isn't their backs you fear, but your lack of contribution. I will give you the power and skills you need, but I must skip around when teaching you," The Lady chuckles, "It would be disastrous if you wasted your time trying to revive a fish…um, nevermind."

"Ton-Ton-san, um, what will I be learning during this month?"

"The necessities. Well, what is necessary to pull you into your second match. For example, what type of person is your opponent? What attributes do you wish to build in your time working with me?"

"Well, he's the lucky type," the Lady raises her eyebrow, "Hehe, he gets to fight me, the unlucky type-"

"-Calm down, Sakura."

"Sorry, its just that his attacks are so frightening…come on, he uses _sand! _What do you know that can block sand? Sand that is automatically at this guys disposal?"

"You're right. Trying to block such a weapon requires insane strength. I can give you that strength, but first I must show you that defense and caution are top priorities. Do not risk an injury unless you're positive of landing a critical blow to an enemy. We will work on evasiveness today. Take your sparing stance and instead of attacking, try to escape my attacks. We will end at the time I deem appropriate."

"Hai, Ton-Ton-san."

"I'm going to go all out and attack you. I will not hold back." Of course, the Lady was bluffing. She threw brilliant attacks but left the chakra out of her attacks, which was needed to initiate her one-kill punch.

------

One hour. The drill lasted one whole hour.

'**A whole fricken hour! With this weirdo! I've never seen anyone fight like that! Shannaro!' **This thought was followed by an 'Ugh.'

"Wow, your so powerful, Ton-Ton-san."

The lady smiled, "This is the power you want, right?" Sakura nodded, "_Wrong, _but it is what you should want without _chakra punches." _

"Come here so I can heal your bruises," A green light passed through the lady's hands, "We will go eat a second breakfast and then return for another session. By this time tomorrow, I'm going to have you fighting non-stop until noon, when we will re-energize (lunch) and follow up our training with chakra control."

------

At nine, they returned to their training area for another session. They would periodically stop for a break and then resume. At noon, the lady said she needed to return to her temporary residence. "-But I want you to read these materials," she said as she handed Sakura four books from on top of a rock, "These are the fundamentals of alchemy, potions, medicine, herbology, physiology, etc. _Learn it._ We don't have time to practice. They are yours to keep."

"Arigato! This is the best gift anyone's ever given me!" Sakura's face lit up with jubilation. **'Shannaro! Now this is a book! They have to be twice as big as any on illusions!'**

"I'll be taking off now. Good Afternoon."

------

The next day, the Lady was proud to know Sakura had skimmed through all of the books. Sakura now knew how to treat broken bones, identify common herbs, and thoroughly label a diagram of the human body.

Their bout was going poorly after a few hours, until the Lady had to relax her attacks enough to give Sakura time to recuperate. "Try using your chakra! What are you waiting for?" After that bit of advice, Sakura reacted better to the lady's attempts. When the sun was directly over their heads, they took the long deserved break (for Sakura) and went to eat, returning at one to practice chakra control.

"Sakura, I would rather have you revive a fish, but that would be a waste of time. I am combining a step from medical training into your combat training. I want you to gather your chakra into your fist," The lady curled her own and then stepped in front of a tree, putting her fist three inches away from the tree, "and release all of it instantaneously upon strike."

With a loud crack and thunderous boom, the tree exploded into bits and pieces. You couldn't really now it was a tree from the look of it. Sakura's jaw hung in awe. 'Looks like something Lee-san would do if he had more youth!' **'That was like a whole damn Fountain of Youth!' **(A/N: I have no idea what she's talking about.) While recovering from the monstrous strength Sakura'd recently witnessed, the lady continued giving instructions, "You are to practice this every day in the afternoon until you are comfortably with your ability to, erm, pulverize a tree (from three inches away) and then you will progress to earth, then rock. How comfortable you feel with each stage is left to your digression, but remember there is always room for improvement."

------

The lady left Sakura to her own training and went back to the inn. Sakura remained to do as the lady instructed until six, an hour before dusk. Tired and haggard, she stepped away from the battered tree and staggered home through the setting rays of the sun.

When home, her mom came and fussed because she had missed dinner. She had better things to do than miss protocol, damnit! Giving her mom a dirty look behind her guiless back, Sakura stepped into the kitchen and fixed some instant cup ramen. She took it upstairs and set it on her bureau. As she waited for it to cool, her stomach growled and she reluctantly fell asleep.

Sakura woke up to a growling noise. After a few moment of wondering how a dog got in her room, she saw the cup of noodles and realized it was her. She grabbed the ramen and took it downstairs, threw it in the microwave, waited, and then got it out and ate it. No table, no chair. To hell with it. She also grabbed a peach before walking out of the house to another eventful day of training.

When Sakura got to her version of hell, she found a note and a backpack.

**Dear Sakura-chan!**

**I have been found by the debt-collectors again! **(to which Sakura screamed in disbelief, but then thought it over and believed this could be true)** Lol, was that so unbelievable? **

**Anyways…In reference to your fight, keep a strong will and fierce confidence. To not waver when you act, and do not foolishly deplete your resources. **

**I left you a special gift in the bag. You should be able to identify them from the medical book I gave you. It took a few evenings to put together, but the outcome is invaluable. I wish you luck on finding your code to express your Way of the Ninja. Hopefully, you can protect the one's you love and earn their approval…**

**Love,**

**Tsunade**

**P.S. I'm sorry I deceived you. coughstupid debt collectorscough**

**------**

btw... in the last chapter, there was a strange girl named 'mari' dancing around in my author's note. she's the author (me). but i forgot i was using a different pen name. (mari is my, um, comic name?) Which reminds me..!! I made one or two pages of The Alternate Path doujin (fan comic). I will upload it to my author's page ASAP (Just as soon as my friends gets it on photobucket).

I KNOW you guys have been waiting forever for this but the fact is…I had a confidence block…and I was being lazy. But I got some tips from another author…

**ARIGATO GOZAIMASU, YAROCHISAI! OUTLINES SUK YEAH!**

I think I can be diagnosed with fan phobia. I'd feel like such a moron if I cut off any of my chapters too short. Does it leave a nice cliffie?!

**Oh please read and review!**


	10. Substitution of Time

The Alternate Path

By Inner Self

Chapter X: Substitution of Time

Need reviews! I wish to be loved! (equals motivation) you've seen how long I stalled! I'm sorry! And when I stall, I create more stories (pilots) which slow down the updates. In a snowball effect, I become burdened (or blessed) with more stuff to update! So please take the time to give me advice, etc. (reviews, ).

I NO OWN NARUTO!!

------

Ino has been coming around the training site, coincidentally, ever since Tsunade-taishou fled the city. Apparently, Ino had gotten acquainted with taishou's traveling buddy and her pet pig. That suits Ino well to hang out with her fellow boars...but I don't think it would be wise to say so aloud! Who cares; I must make mental note to bring that up!

We are practicing our healing techniques today since Ino suggested it. She says that I should at least learn to stop the bleeding in major cuts. After looking at the supplies taishou left me, Ino and I both agreed that the best strategy would be to evade eighty percent of the time against Sabaku no Gaara and throw a critical hit (the Heavenly Chakra Punch) at any chance we get. Basically, we improvise. We're good at that.

"Dang! This is one hell of a miracle worker we met!" Ino's going through the gift Tsunade-taishou gave me yet again. "3 Blood replenishing pills, 4 soldier pills, 2 medic scrolls, and 2 basic poison antidotes! If you get through this match quick enough, you'll have plenty to spare for the next!"

"After the workout with Sandman, I won't need any of that! I'll shoot up a 10 levels!"

"Are you referring to videogames again? That's so geeky!"

"Its not like I play them. I just watch Naruto play... I swear!"

"Oh, yeah. What_ever!_" I knew that was coming. You can always detect Ino's sarcasm. Or when I'm lying because even an academy student can see through me.

"Well, I don't play anymore. How can you when under the pressure of being the future's greatest kunoichi? Training cough and conditioning my haircough is all i have time for."

Ino sighs, "Ah, poor Sakura! That forehead must be absorbing all the sun's rays! After all, there's no way I'm going to lose to you!"

"Grr!!" And there is no one there to stop the fight that is to come. The rivals battle it out for longer than any Tsunade would dish out.

------

"Oh, my God!" Ino blurts out when Sakura is catching her breath, "We forgot to study our medical techniques!"

"..." Likewise, so did Sakura, "thanks a lot Ino-pig!" Sakura throws a side kick at Ino and then stops mid-chamber. "Its late. We should get goin--OMG, are you all right?!"

Ino falls over. Fearing a heart attack, Sakura prepares to pump chakra into Ino's chest, but Ino starts to roll over in the grass, gripping at her sides. "Oh, come on." Sakura chuckles and assists Ino in getting up.

As they are walking to fork that divides their pathways home, Ino's stomach growls.

"Aha! Now who's unladylike, porky-little-Ino!" Sakura laughs at Ino's embarassment.

Ino gets an evil gleam in her eye. "You know what we should do?" She pauses until she detects the curiousity in her friend's eye. "We should go have some Yakiniku. Our mom's will be so pissed!"

"And you'll be _insane_! Do you have a death wish?!" **'OMG, I'm going to die and it's going to be all that pig's fault! Note to outer self: beware of dumbass pigs!'**

Ino turns around towards the restaurant district, pulling Sakura with her. "Yeah, well just think of it as your training assignment at home! Homework! You love homework? Yes you do!" Ino goes off on a rant like that of someone holding a newborn baby.

All Sakura needs to do to get Ino to shut up is administer a death glare.

------

When they reach the restaurant, they start up a silly arguement about ketchup and mustard, attracting the attention of some of the usual customers.

"I'm telling you, ketchup goes with everything!"

"Fore-head, how many times have I told you not to use it for facials! All it manages to do is expand that space above your brows!"

Death glares all around!

"Okay, pig, answer me this: How come diners always put the ketchup on the table and keep the mustard secluded behind the counter?"

"Because its more valueable! One packet is equal to a whole crappy bottle of ketchup!"

"..." Sakura hadn't thought up any b.s. as good as that. But that didn't mean she would admit that Ino had won. "Hmph!"

"Ahem," someone replied from behind their booth, two over. "Could you keep it down. If you didn't happen to notice, you are indoors."

Ino turned around was about to give him some smack, but she pauses with her fist halfway in the air when she hears the boy mutter something about troublesome. "Aii, Shikamaru!" Ino rushes over to his table and hugs him. The passing of love dies down after she jumps over him and proceeds to hug Choji. "Dude, I haven't seen you guys in forever!"

"Relax. Its only been a week or two."

"But it is good to see you both again." Asuma replies welcomingly.

"Both?" Choji asks and then remembers that Ino was fraying with someone which caused them to notice her in the first place.

"Konbanwa you guys." Sakura introduces herself and sits next to Asuma. Ino's already occupied the last spot next to Shikamaru and Choji. They both sit near the aisle and Choji has the window seat.

"So how have you all been?" Sakura starts the conversation with small talk, but since the Chuunin Exam is nearing the next test, the question holds more weight.

Shikamaru replies for the group, "Well, if Ino hasn't told you yet, Asuma has been helping me with my training. Its been troublesome the way he's been setting me up against Choji. Augh, and the sessions last for hours. My chakra's always drained at the end of it."

Choji eats another bite of Bar-B-Q'd pork and then continues the conversation by asking how they'd spent their time.

"Well, I went to Kakashi-sensei after the Second Exam and asked him to help me with my training, but he ran off with Sasuke and told me and Naruto-kun to learn under a special jonin. Naruto-kun was reluctant and ran off to escape the guy. I decided it would be best to do the same and went in the opposite direction to run home and sleep, to be refreshed for the next day. They probably forgot about me."

"I found Sakura when she was coming out of the hospital and forced her to get a head-start on her training. Hello, Fore-head only had a month to train for her fight!"

Shikamaru cuts in. "Oh yeah, she's fighting Sabaku no Gaara. I tell you that guy creeps me out the most of all the outsider shinobi here at the test. I don' t think you should fight him."

Choji agrees by spitting almost spitting out what he was eating and nodding vigorously.

Sakura makes a face at their lack of support.

"Well," Asuma speaks, "I think Sakura should continue training and then on the last day, depending on how much she's grown, decide if she wants to give it a shot. After all, the tournament is going to have the same rules as the Pre-lims did. When she starts losing, the judges will stop the match."

Ino cuts in, "But she's not going to lose, right Sakura!"

"No way!" A confident smirk graces both of their faces. "Don't be too shocked when you see me out there."

Asuma appologizes, "To be the constructive critic, I must say that I have doubts..." He looks over at an annoyed Ino and stresses, "_with good reason. _Keep in mind that that boy is not normal."

They nod and Ino continues with the story. "So we went to Kurenai-sensei's house, but of course, she had to train Shino. Her pupils come first although she set us in the right direction by suggesting the back section in the library."

"Then Ino and I wasted our morning looking for books on genjutsu. They only had paperbacks and old worthless scrolls. We went out to lunch and then departed."

"I went back to study up on some medicinal plants. Who knows; father might start selling them if I provide some. And I could practice making ointments with the extras."

"You little geek!" Ino sticks her tongue out at Sakura.

"Here they go again... how troublesome."

"Any ways..." Asuma tries to get the story going again.

"And when we were eating lunch, that Temari girl showed up."

(Choji) "Shikamaru's match?"

"Yeah, and she started giving Sakura b.s. about regretting not being able to have a rematch, you know, with her match being Temari's brother and all."

(Choji) "They're related?"

"I think so. Why else would she go near him?"

(Shikamaru) "When did you fight Temari?"

Sakura turns away from eating, "When I was in the Shinomori." And tries to return to eating.

"Could you spare some information?"

**'Damn it, I'm hungry! And the waiter hasn't found us yet so were stuck mooching off you guys!' **"Well, all you have to do is be aware of her fan. And take her off guard or she'll blow your attack away. More importantly, if you were like me, and were to use a close combat attack, you would have to substitute every five seconds to avoid the magnitude of her itachi no jutsu. You can do any of these things from what I've gathered during my skirmish with her and from watching Ten Ten's battle. Since your style involves trapping your opponent, its obvious that I should suggest you do the former." With that said, Sakura goes back to eating.

"I suggest you burn her and make sure you bring along a gigantic wooden stick."

"Bwahaha!" Sakura nearly chokes ("Sakura are you okay?"). "She calls herself the wind witch!" (A/N: Actually, I do, but whatever.)

"And the next day you ditched me!"

"You were taking too long, probably doing your nails."

"So when I left you for dead, I went over to the library again. Having no luck once again, I go eat, and run into some foreign woman, probably an ex-Shinobi. Actually, she looked more like a nurse. Anyway, she ended up teaching me for a couple of weeks while Ino-pig was doing who knows what."

Ino chews, swallows, and then nags; the usual lunch routine. "For your information, I went to look for you at the library, Fore-head, but you were already gone. On my search, a pink pig happened to pass by..."

"You sound like Kakashi."

"But the lady taught me some mad skills! And left out of the blue, but that doesn't matter! In two weeks time, I'm going to be ready Sabaku no Gaara!" **'Shannaro!' **Sakura slams her hand into the table and it flips over into the aisle.

"Hell! The last bite of a glorious meal!" The waiter finally showed up only to be hit in the face by a red-hot piece of pork Bar-B-Q.

Everyone's eyes bug-out. Sakura scratches the back of her head. "Ehehe... Gomen-nasai."

A guy carrying a doll, with a kitty-eared hat, wearing make-up thinks over the incident he's witnessed. He sets down his cup and decides its worthy of a report to none other than Sabaku no Gaara himself.

------

Shannaro! I'm so happy! I was hoping to right the fight into this chapter but it gets bumped over into the next one. I promise to update sooner from now on...**If you review! **

Jiraiya even agreed to review my other story! (Haha, the poor perverted sap.)

Inner Self


	11. Gaara's Valued Existence

The Alternate Path

By InnerSelf

Chapter XI: Gaara's Valued Existence

Gomen-nasai! I apologize for seeming forceful! I must remember that its not what I like, but the consumer! Before I forget, I apologize for putting slight OOC moments into Naruto fanfics, especially this one!

------

"Kankurou, are you an idiot? How many times do I have to tell you? The girl just got lucky. She's no match for our Gaara"

"Two flukes and she may be making another soon."

"That's ludicrous!"

"She broke your stupid fan!"

"Hey, no! Don't talk that way about my fan!"

"Or what? It inanimate."

"Why don't you go play with dolls or something?"

"I already explained. (A/N: ironically, he's not the one asking for a repeated explanation) That girl is weird; weird enough that Gaara wouldn't get bored when fighting, if but for a few minutes."

Kankurou was gracefully waltzing down the hall towards Gaara's room with Temari stomping after him. Kankurou slides the door open, and finds the person he was half-regretting to meet.

"What do you want?"

Temari tries in a last attempt to help and/or save Kankurou, fearing a waste of Gaara's time would be a waste of someone's existence. Temari rushes to speak before Kankurou. It is also a 'waste of existence' if two quarrel in front of Gaara. "He just wanted to ask what you thought of your match. Tough luck getting such a weakling, huh?"

"That would not be asking anything," Gaara glares at Temari, "That would be wasting my time. Kankurou, what do you want?"

Not to test Gaara's patience any more, Kankurou speaks up, "With nothing else to do during the month's wait for the last test in the exam, I have been collecting data on the combatants. The girl you're fighting, Haruno Sakura," Gaara nods in remembrance and Kankurou continues, "could turn out to be a good fight for you. She's the one I've watched the most. She's been training the most and thus growing the most."

"Are you saying she stands a chance just with a couple of sessions?"

"See, I though Kankurou was being stupid too."

"I'm getting to the point. Anyways, everyone thinks she's weak. Like Temari, they think her wins are _flukes_. No one gave her a chance until now. She can become much more."

"What happened?" Gaara demands.

"She found a teacher. This person was just a wanderer, and at first glance I did not recognize her…long blonde hair, diamond-shaped tattoo, young _appearance_…"

"Well? Spit it out!" (Temari)

"Haruno Sakura, your opponent, was taken as the apprentice of this person of One Third of the Legendary Three, Tsunade-hime."

"T-T-Tsunade-s-sama?! The one who's known to kill with one punch, heal any injury, and ?!"

Kankurou nods. Gaara seems to become interested.

"You are mistaken! No one has heard from her in years!"

"She was on the run. She stopped here, but as quick as she came, she left. Still, that girl was sparring two weeks non-stop under Tsunade-hime. Taking into account that Haruno only trained under her for two weeks, and yet she's grown so much…"

Gaara's eyes narrow in thought.

"…Amazing…that lucky brat…how strong is she?"

Gaara glances towards Kankurou, his ambiguous decision relying on the next words uttered.

"For a beginner—_very_. Haruno was at the Yakiniku restaurant that I ate at yesterday. Uh, actually, she was talking about the tournament with one of her friends. Haruno said something and slammed her hand (kind of victoriously) into the table. It _accidentally_ flipped over. After closer inspection, I saw that she had left a moderate crack in the table. Do you know how tough red wood is? I use it in all my puppets!"

"Shit." (Temari)

"Oh, now you listen to me…Gaara? Where are you going at this time of night?" Kankurou lightly questions as to not get Desert Coffined. Midnight and all is not well.

"Out."

------

Sakura was just finishing her studies in the kitchen. She set the book down with the dozen others and strolled into the bathroom to take a quick shower. After eight minutes or so, she steps out wearing her dark kapri pants (that go under her chinese dress) and a big grey shirt. Unaware of the other presence, she walks back into the kitchen for a midnight snack. The kitchen is dimmer than when she left it. She reaches into the fridge and pulls out a bag of strawberries. Turning around, she tenses up and sets the bag on the counter.

"Why's the second light not on? Did it burn out?"

"No. I turned it off." She freezes.

Sakura tries her best not to show her anxiousness. "Sabaku no Gaara? Why're you in my house? Is this another part of the stupid test? Do the judges want us to have a pre-chat or something?"

"Shut-up."

Sakura stares at him in disbelief. 'This guy is dangerous from what I've heard. I better use formality...**even if we're fu$king pissed.' **"Please be peaceful in my mother's house."

"The annoying people you live with will wake up."

"Okay," Sakura whispers, "so why are you here?"

"I will not kill you unless you are strong. Train without rest, without sleep, until your last day. Sleep when you are dead."

She cannot move. She looks into his eyes. They are emotionless while hers are overflowing with confusion and fear. She blinks and then responds, which is unlike any of Sabaku no Gaara's previous victims, "I am sorry to disappoint you, Sabaku no Gaara, but I won't die that easily. I may not win, but I can assure you I will not die."

"The winner is the only one who will feel the value of their existence. You will die."

"Um..."

Sakura's mother shouts from above, "Sakura! Who's that you're speaking down there?"

So that nothing goes wrong in the house, Sakura quickly answers, "I-Its just the television, Mother, I'll turn it off."

"Ay, it's late! Get to bed, Sakura!"

Sakura doesn't reply, except for the mumble Gaara manages to overhear: "...Love you, too..." He notices the sarcasm.

'This girl doesn't love her mother. She's ungrateful and will die in two weeks time.'

"I'm leaving."

"Wait..um..about what you said before," Gaara turns to look over his shoulder and administers a mild glare, "...in the Pre-lims, no one died. Not even Lee."

"They do not follow the code of existence, therefore their existence is meaningless...I almost forgot, but you reminded me." Gaara eerily replies, then leaves in a gust of sand.

'Uh-oh...just what did I remind him of?'

**'To get a little black book, that's what! I can see it all over the paper's! Dumb Sakura accused of assisting in the homocide of Lee, beloved friend. To be sent to asylum shortly!'**

'Shut up.'

**'You sound like crazy already.'**

------

Weeks pass, the training days fly by, and Sakura awakes to the last day of training. Her last shot at getting in some more training. She and Ino meet at the training grounds set up in the forest. They spar for four hours, ending at noon, and decide to do some shopping.

Correction: Ino decided to do some shopping _for_ Sakura.

"Why are we here again?"

"Come on, Sakura. You can't wear that dress forever. Now pick something."

"I don't even want to be here. Just go pick something out for me. Nothing black."

Ino comes back with a few items.

"What are all those?"

"It's called combinations. They are new to some people," Sakura scrunches up her face in annoyance. "So, I was thinking you could—"

"Send it back for something red? I don't want a blue skirt, but keep the rest."

Ino 'whapps' Sakura on the head and goes back for a white medic skirt (like Ino's in Part Two). "Okay, I was thinking you could wear this long shirt," She holds up the red sleeveless clingy shirt with the Haruno Clan symbol on the back, "with the white skirt over. You can also slip on these red, uh, elbow thingies and throw on these black shorts under the shirt!"

"Yeah, that's awesome!"

"I am a genius when it comes to fasion! In fact, it was my second choice for a cover job if not a florist." Ino grins.

"I'll buy you an outfit if you buy me one."

"What's the point in that?...I don't need anything anyways. I'll get a new outfit come next Chuunin Exam, but right now, you deserve it."

"Bull, you're just a quitter! You could have won."

"Yes, but that," Ino changes her expression to fit Shikamaru's, "would be troublesome." They double over in laughter.

------

"Ino, do you think we could run over to your dad's shop real quick? We can get some flowers there to take to Lee-san. I hear he's doing well at the hospital."

"Sure." They make a short stop at Ino's place, and then run over to the hospital.

"By the way, thank-you for delivering my daffodils to Lee-san. With all my preparations for tomorrow, I haven't had time to visit him until now."

"You're welcome…good luck, Sakura." 'You're going to need every bit you can get your hands on.' "I hear Naruto's gotten into trouble as well. He's in the hospital…and Choji too!"

"Boy. Oh no! We need to go back for Naruto's flower!"

"Heehee, Got it." Ino hands over Naruto's and laughs at Sakura's embarrassment. "Haha, you need to keep a better eye on your comrades."

------

Ino signs the sign-in sheet and goes on ahead. Sakura assumes the nurses are out to lunch. Little did she know, someone was following her. Shivers went up her spine. "Is it a bit chilly in here?" She turns around and misses her stalker. He has already left to find another prey.

Sakura went up the stairs and turned to the right. When she entered the room, she noticed that Lee was unconscious at the moment. He was lying peacefully in his bed. Sakura went around to the night table and places the flower in the vase Ino had used. After glancing at Lee, Sakura prayed for his health, and exited the room. At that moment, the stalker walked up the same stairs she had. Sakura was heading in his direction, but remembered something (Naruto) and did a one-eighty towards his room.

------

The stalker enters Lee's room. He intends to prove his existence by taking a way a worthless one. Two boys show up out of nowhere and succeed in failing his attempt, but the shadow-user among them can only stall for so long.

------

"Oro? Where's Naruto?" His bed was empty. Naruto didn't even take the time to fix his bed. Sakura stopped to do it for him. Then she took the water pitcher and poured its contents into the glass vase provided. Sakura set the flower into the vase and headed out.

On her way down the hall, Sakura heard a noise. As she walked closer, she noticed that they were voices; frantic voices.

"Why are you here?!"

'That one was Naruto!'

"What do you want with Bushy-Brows?!"

'Lee-san!" Then the person Naruto's facing can't be anyone besides…

------(paraphrased from crappy subtitles)

"A little bird reminded me to kill him. So here I am." …Sabaku no Gaara.

---Sakura listens in while trying to collect her composure. 'I mustn't be afraid to face him. I must have the utmost confidence, the Will of Fire.'---

"How can parents do that to their own child? Looks like they don't love you." Shikamaru is the other inside with Naruto.

"Love? Don't use your standard to judge me. Love and family are not co-existing. Family is just a word for blood-ties connected through hatred and murder. I thought until I was six that my father loved me. Until that day…"

"That day?"

"…when it happened…"

"What happened?"

"My father, the Yondaime Kazekage, made the first of several attempts on my life!" From what Sakura could tell, Gaara sounded excited. Sakura was finished preparing for when she would be needed to rush in there. "This scar represents the only true love. I fight only for myself, and I love no one but myself." Sakura curls up her fist and starts to gather chakra. "By killing, I feel alive, and I feel the value of my existence!"

Sakura ears perk up. She hears a shifting sound on the floor and in the air beyond the door.

"Naruto! Oi, Naruto!" Sakura knows this is her cue. She throws open the door, and lunges in front of Naruto. With her right hand's improvisation, she releases her chakra in an instant, slapping the sand away. Sakura looks defiantly into Gaara's eyes.

Shikamaru and Naruto are paralyzed in awe where they stand. Gaara sees a shade from his past in Sakura's eyes.

"We fight tomorrow, and not a moment before! Please leave!" Sakura is deathly serious. She stands firmly on the ground, as if she is a stone wall.

'Yashamaru.' Gaara squeezes his eyes shut and fists his hair at the unwanted memory.

"Don't get too excited until then."

"I will kill you all." Gaara announces to everyone present in the room, but looks murderously into Sakrua's eyes. She believes he was silently telling her that she would be first, which was no doubt correct.

------

Yays! Aren't you all proud of me?

**Inner Self: Hell, no, shannaro! Well! Maybe a little! Thanks for not sucking four months in a row!**

Yeah, how long has it been? I hope you guys like these two chaps. I wish to update soon!

Inner Self


	12. The Long Awaited Fight I

The Alternate Path

By Inner Self

Chapter XII: The Long Awaited Fight I

Whaaaaa…I'm sheading tears of joy! I'm sooo happy! You guys love me so much! And you give me confidence! Thank-you to all my Ino-friends out there! Huggles all around! (…I'm so fluffy, it scares me half the time…)

By the way, the match does not hold the effect that it did in the original (Gaara vs. Sasuke). The title is a dedication to all my reviewers who are bouncing off the walls, waiting for an update. I'm sorry for running away all those months ago. It was very Sasuke of me…

Music: This would be a good chapter for listening to Bleach Opening 5-"Rolling Days"

---The Long Awaited Fight I---

Today, at seven in the morning, Sakura can be found rushing around, looking for her medic bag and the rest of her supplies.

"**Oh my God, where is that damned thing?... **oh, ehehe, here it is…" Sakura pulls it from half-way under her bed. "Uh, I'm so anxious…"

"_Sakura, you've got to be more confident!"_

'Ino-chan, I sometimes wonder if I'll ever be as confident as you. She's right though; this frantic running around is stupid, and if anything, its going to get me killed.' She shivers.

Putting on her new attire, she silently thanks Ino. 'Damn, I look good! Except for a couple of things," she sighs, "I still lack in the T&A department."

Sakura flies down the stairs and into the kitchen. She pulls out the pans and prepares them with butter. Next, she pulls the eggs out of the fridge. She breaks four eggs and throws them onto the pan, etc., letting them cook as she reaches grabs a rice bowl and digs out two scoops. When the eggs are ready, she turns off the stove and flips them into her bowl. At no moment during this process does Sakura bother to sit down at the table. By now its 7:30. She tosses the bowl into the sink (did it break?) and runs to the door.

Before walking out of the house, her mom pulls her aside and wishes her good luck. Sakura wipes the tear that runs down her mother's cheek. Even thought they fight a lot, both actually love each other more than anything. They're all they have. Her mother silently wishes that she doesn't go, but Sakura just hugs her mother tighter. Her family needs the money, and she needs the honor. Growing up in a hidden shinobi village, did her mother expect anything different?

------

"**I'm so late! This is just great! And it's all because I ate such a big breakfast! Way to go Sakura, you couldn't disobey Taichou for one second!"**

"_Diet? What the hell! Eat up girl so we can go burn those calories!"_

Sakura was nearing the gate, 500 yards and counting. Meanwhile, Naruto was taking an alternate route (A/N: path..lol..yea, I'm a retard.) which basically sucked compared to the normal one, and that put Sakura in the lead of a very existent race for time. The audience: the birds above their heads of course! "Ahou," cry the birds as they laugh ther beaks off.

**Inner Sakura administers a death glare, "Shut it, pig with wings! I'm gonna make it, and you're all gonna shut the hell up--!"**

Sakura comically runs into the door, and slides to the ground. The gate captains inside hear the noise and open the doors to check it out. "Oh, looks like we have another one!" Did it surprise any of the other contestants waiting that Kakashi's students would be late?

Sakura made towards the others with a heavily beating heart. She spots Sasuke, but rushes to the side of Shino as to make the crowd less obvious of her late entrance. Sakura skids to a half, throwing up some dust.

She glances over at Sasuke over an emotionless Shino. Then her head perks up at the amount of cat-calls that begin withing a matter of seconds since she entered. Of course they were for her. Ino grins in the stands. Sakura subconsciously marks down another thing that she must learn at which to beat Ino. (A/N: Damn prepositions.)

'Where's Naruto?' Sakura wonders as she moves her head slightly towards the left, then right. The gate captains start to close the doors, but a build up of distributed chakra squashes into them. The blockage bursts and lets of multiply sharp pops. Sakura recognizes it as some sort of bushin no jutsu. 'Could it be?' She asked herself as she turns around to look. Naruto comes flying through at that instant. With a slow motion effect installed into the narrator's eyes, she can determine that at the speed which Naruto is going, he will definitely land head first on Sakura's face.

'**Not if I can help it!' **Both Sakura's were already furious at Naruto's first attempt to hug her. (He claimed he only wanted to borrow money!) And now he was aiming for a well-planned-seemingly-accidental kiss? No f-ing way!

Sakura's forehead shines in the sun as it did four days ago. With her left hand, she swings around 180 degrees counter-clockwise and slaps away the oncoming perverted bullet.

"**Shannaro!"**

"Aie!" The crowd's eyes bugged out, and the cat-calls mysteriously vanished within an instant, but then the perverted cheers started up again louder than ever! The contestants kept their composure, some expecting it, some oblivious, but all were secretly racing with the same thought: Monsterously Strong!

'Yeah…' Naruto thought as he lay on the ground.

"So Kakashi's rubbing off on you too? Get up dobe." Apparantly, Sasuke was late too, in his own fashionable way.

"…Sasuke!" Sakura noticed that they had stared at each other for quite a while.

'Sasuke was late as well? Demo, the gates were closes when I got there. Although the guards were still there…'

'**That must qualify us for super late! Damn you, Kakashi!' Inner Sakura screamed within the walls of her prison.**

"Don't lose your match, dobe. I want to fight you."

Naruto wipes the dirt (and blood) off the lower part of his face (and nose). "Don't think that I would miss the opportunity to knock you around!" (A/N: The fan girls would love that.)

"Are you forgetting about someone?" Sakura politely asked the two of them.

Naruto was the one to answer her. "Don't worry! We'll beat our first opponents easily! Nothing's gonna get in the way of our fight!" Inner Sakura glares. That was not the answer she was looking for.

'…**I'll kill him…' **Inner Sakura seemed to use the shadow replication technique, but this only symbolized that her grudge against idiots like these boys was multiplying. **'It's as if these fu$#ers don't even realize I exist!! Shannaro!' **(A/N: See the similarity between I.S. and Gaara's thoughts?)

Sakura reluctantly turns around. The examiner directs those who are not participating in the first match to the balcony below the spectators, which can be reached via the stairs on their left.

Sakura takes the spot near the rail overlooking the arena that is to the right of Sasuke and the left of the guy in the kitty-eared hat.

Kankurou looks curiosly over at her and Gaara, on Temari's right, notices.

'That girl better be as good as Kankurou thinks she is. Temari thinks she's all luck. I don't give a damn as long as she puts up a fight…her blood would be good for our collection…right, mother?'

Sasuke looks over at Gaara. He's watching Sakura in a lustful way, but Sasuke isn't sure to what he is lusting after. Sasuke glares at him. Gaara notices and glares as well, but his glare shows a simple meaning that clarifies his past actions to Sasuke. Gaara then looks away.

"Sakura," Sasuke whispers. "I don't want you to fight him. Do. Not. Fight. Him."

Sakura is tired of those who lack confidence in her. She wishes to speak up but knows that her actions will speak better for her. She must gain their confidence. She must rely on Ino and Tsunade-taichou's confidence alone. "Sasuke-kun, I do not want anymore people telling me to forfeit. I will fight, and I will win."

Temari and Kankurou smirked inwardly, but admire her courage all at once.

Sakura had always shown courage, even when the other two genin in her cell had not. In fact, she had always been the bravest of the three, including when they were up against the Demon of the Mist and the Forest of Death. She wasn't afraid of this imp, either. She had buried her doubts and anxiety when she entered the arena.

"—Psst!" Sakura was in the middle of an argument with Sasuke and could not hear the buzzing bee at the edge of the stairs.

"Sakura!—"

"—Guess who!" The intruder asks, simultaneously shielding Sakura's eyes with her hands.

"Ino-chan!" Ino was pleasantly surprised by the use of the honorific, while Sasuke was simply surprised. The lift-eyebrow-because-you-didn't-things-would-change-so-much-while-you-were-gone type. (A/N: …)

"Aw, Sasuke-kun, you gave it away!" Ino pouts, and Sasuke is unaffected. "Okay, Sakura..-chan," Ino smiled inwardly. They were (miraculously) on good terms again. "I had to sneak in here to give these to you since I didn't see you this morning!"

Sakura looks at what Ino pulled out of her kunai holster in disgust. "More drugs?" She whines.

"Yup! Mama Ino's come to baby you!" Gaara's eye twitches. There's no way that girls her mom. We all know that, but Gaara is clueless as to why Ino would waste time loving someone other than herself. "I made them this last week for your fight. They're just what the doctor ordered! Take one as soon as the fight starts and it'll be, like, almost as good as having Sharingan!"

"…" '**Yeah right!' **Note the evident sarcasm.

"They're protein pills! They, like, give your reaction speed a super boost!"

"**Shit." **Everybody stared at Sakura. She just cussed.

"Hey, you! Get out of the private box! Tournament combatants only!"

"Whoops! I've gotta go! Best of luck, Sakura-chan!" Then she throws her best smile, "I'll be rooting for you, Sasuke-kun!" She flips her hair seductively, and hops over the unconscious guard, and skips toward her seat.

Sakura, after seeing Ino escape safely, turns her bag around so that she can gain the best access to it. She rummages through and takes out two bottles, one empty. She takes one pill each from the other and from the one Ino gave her. She places the two pills in the empty bottle.

Sasuke has turned his focus to Naruto's match to forget his worries. Sakura knows he's still worried (and angry) at her.

She tries to soothe him, "If you still doubt me, remember that the rules are the same as in the preliminaries. If any match has a clear victor, then the proctor will intervene and stop the match."

Sasuke merely nods.

------

Naruto is getting the chakra beaten out of him. His endurance is reaching a new limit inserted by Neji. Every time Neji blocks one of Naruto's nodes, the handicap on Naruto increases drastically.

Sasuke is silently worrying for another of his comrades. Sakura looks as if she would start biting her nails at any moment, but keeps her hands firmly at her sides. "If I doubt Naruto, then that makes me a hypocrite."

"That dobe is too stubborn to lose. He's a lot like you in that way." Sasuke adds. He then runs a hand through his hair.

'He's frustrated.' Sakura notices thanks to her connection to him, rather than the little medical knowledge she'd gained over the month.

"Look, Sakura. I have heard about that guy from Kakashi-sensei. I don't like you being paired as his opponent."

"Sasuke," she sighs in agrevation, "What are you trying to say." Sakura feels a change of heart coming along. 'He's been thinking about Naruto-kun and me for quite some time.'

"Tell you what. Let's make a bet. If Naruto wins this, though it's unlikely, then I won't argue with you about your decision anymore."

"Okay, fine." Sakura wasn't alert during their conversavion, or she would have been aware of the trap Fate set for her. She starts thinking, and remembers her master...

_"Ton-Ton-taichou, you're running a bit late."_

_"Uh, well, I was gambling...ehehe, and it didn't go so well."_

_"Really?"_

_"..."_

_"It couldn't have been that bad."_

_"Don't get me wrong. Gambling is always exhilarating. Shizune doesn't agree though."_

_"Shizune?"_

_"My travel buddy; she's always making a fuss about my gambling. She freaks out when I lose it all. **Like its anything new,**" Tsunade sounded a little annoyed at the last part._

_"Nothing new?"_

_"Yeah, I am extremely unlucky when it comes to gambling."_

_"No way. Are you saying you gamble and lose every time?" Tsunade nods. "Don't worry. You'll take the pot one of these days."_

_"Maybe...but it would probably be a bad omen. See, if I am unlucky at gambling, I am lucky to escape the debt collectors! My theory is that if one of those switched, than the other would be affected too!" _

...'No way.' "Oh, no. What do I do," she mutters. Sakura starts to wallow in self pity for she is a very stupid girl. "Taichou probably rubbed off on me, not that she needed to. I was unlucky before, but how will this affect me now!"

**"Why am I so unlucky? Ahh! This isn't fair!" **Kankurou gives Temari and victorious smirk. **'There's no way that dumb theory is true, shannaro!'**

By now Sakura was holding her head, fingers catching some locks of hair, with her eyes closed. Some of the competitors were giving her odd looks. 'Hahaha, of course it is.' Her laugh escaped her throat. It was barely audible. This time everyone turned to look at her. Yes, if Gaara was convinced he had competition, it was not in the area of physical expertise.

Kankurou and Temari gulp simultaneously and glance at eachother, 'It's psycho vs. psycho.'

Inner Sakura panics, and Sakura's mood swings. She grips the railing and throws her head over to yell at Naruto. **"Naruto-kun! You better win this! Get your ass in gear!" **(A/N: What is that saying from?)

Sakura's eyes shine with cunning. **'With that added bonus of misfortune, theirs no way Naruto can...win...?'**

...but Naruto's luck was stronger than any. Sakura's unluckiness, surprisingly, could not compare, even if it were to be combined with Tsunade the Great Cash Cow herself (Another nickname she picked up on the run)! Naruto brought forth a surge of red chakra. It grabbed at the shinobi's bones. It shook Neji in both the mental and physical sense.

At the last attack, Naruto rushed Neji, who took off into his ultimate defense, Kaiten, and tried to counter. Only, Naruto's chakra was too strong. The contact which resulted from the friction of the chakras ended in an explosion. Through the debris and clouds of smoke, only two holes could be seen. The combatants were buried alive somewhere beneath all that rock.

A hand punches through the air. The crowd stills. It is followed by its partner, which is a bandaged one. The shinobi was not Naruto. Sakura's heart did a leap. She feared for Naruto's life and regretted her short-lived bet.

Neji recovered from the hole, and the examiner neared him to announce Neji victorious. As he did so, the ground underneath Neji broke, and Naruto came through, uppercutting Neji to the chin. Naruto was up. Neji was down. It was as 'simple' as that. Since Neji alerted the examiner beforehand that that was the final attack, Naruto was declared the winner.

Cheers to Sakura, she won a bet. Now she would be able to fight Gaara.

"Congratulations, Sakura. As agreed, I will not say another word of protest. You couldn't stop me, and I can't stop you."

"Y-yeah… That's great," She says. She lies. For her heart begins to waver. Yet, the waters settle again when she remembers those who believe in her.

'Ino-chan…you gave up your spot to help me bloom." Silent tear rest within her eyes, but they do not fall. Her will must remain strong. 'On a positive note, at least I am protecting you from Sabaku no Gaara.' The fire lights up again. She remembers her training and why Sabaku no Gaara will not kill her. It is because: In order to protect everyone she holds dear, Sakura _will not _lose. Gaara was right: Losing means death.

Sakura flashes him a fake smile which he believes is a triumphant one. 'Is this a bad omen, Tsunade-taichou?'

------

(Stuff that was edited.)

Confused? (That's why I redid it. The bet got wacky.) Uh, just pm me, k? I HEART YOU GUYS!!!

(Explanation of the Fortune Theory (not mine?):

1. Sakura has bad luck.

2. Sakura bet to win.

3. Sakura would lose if all was well.

4. Naruto is a distraction from the theory, meant to confuse us.)

(Does my edit roll better?)

P.S. Has anyone noticed that sometimes when I talk, you have to look underneath the underneath?

Gotta Go. (This was edited. I left and came back with my ears pierced! Impulsive, yeah, but my mom has been nagging me my whole life to so I did. My friend rushed me out of the house and I almost forgot what I was going to add!)

Inner Self


	13. Unlucky

The Alternate Path

By Inner Self

Chapter XIII: Unlucky

Shannaro!! I'm pumped! I've been drawing Alternate Path and creating names for Sakura's moves!!!

Thank Wikipedia for my decisions…which I will explain at the end of the chapter—on with the match!!

------(I do not own Naruto)------

Sabaku no Gaara is already heading down the stairs.

Sakura straightens her skirt, pulls on the knot holding her headband together to tighten it, and shifts her medic bag. She's a little anxious but knows her training with the slave-driver helped. Feeling that the stairs would be too slow-paced, Sakura grips the rail. In one swift motion she swings herself over and lands in a semi-crouched position. The crowd lets out a simultaneous gasp. A few whistles are barely audible. The crowd's chattering continues. All the attention has been drawn away from Gaara who shall enter from the hall just meters behind Sakura.

Sakura waltzes (A/N: Her evasion training has given her grace.) towards the center of the Arena and faces the examiner. "Excuse me, but when am I allowed to use these?" She opens her bag.

Sandaime-sama lifts an eyebrow from a far in his box, and muses to himself. No one expected a genin to be carrying medic-nin supplies.

The examiner, Genma, blinks in recognition, "As soon as I initiate the match."

Sakura slips her hands into each side of the bag and shuffles through the different shaped containers. She finds the protein and soldier pill containers and takes out one pill each, putting them into an empty container. She places that container into her kunai pouch. Then Sakura takes out her new-to-be-signature black gloves and slips them onto her fingers. Gaara is now reaching the end of the hallway. She relaxes and places her hands at her sides. For however calm and collected Sakura seems, there is an equal and opposite inner self.

'**We are not going to die, do you hear me!'**

'I know that!'

'**Really? Because I meant—'**

'Stop talking to yourself!'

'**Are you scared? I sure as hell am!'**

'Of course I am! This is my first real fight…but I'm more determined not to lose than anything else. If I lose this, then Tsunade-taichou would be pissed. She'd probably come back and make me run Lee's marathon 500 laps, while dodging boulders to prove that there are heavier things to be afraid of than sand.'

'…**Yeah! We've blocked his attack before and we can do it again! And again! Shannaro!'**

Speak of the devil, Gaara was nearing Sakura's position at the center of the arena. Sakura positions her feet one shoulder width apart. Sakura looks him in the eyes and falters.

'That's one of the symptoms of…,' The caring side of her opens up a little, "You've got dark circles around your eyes, worse than most cases. How much sleep do you get?"

Sakura realizes what she has said and closes her mouth, resting her eyes on his again. Then her eyes narrow and an iota of sweat trickles down her temple. 'He's not glaring…he's smiling! I get the feeling that he's not that stable,' Sakura clenches her fists, 'but I can turn that into my advantage. If he's unstable, he's bound to make more mistakes then others. When he does, my fist will be waiting for him.' Sakura absent-mindedly grins. Everyone within the competitor's box is confused. Why was Sakura taunting a psychopath?!

The examiner raises his hand. "Both candidates have arrived. Let the battle commence!"

Sacrificing distance that will need to be closed later, Sakura makes a backward dash to evade the sand as she pulls the pills out of the container, and eats both of them. Sakura then touches ground again and dashes off with her right foot to the right side.

"…!" Gaara's sand comes out of no where from the direction she intended to escape to, but she only smirks. The pills' effects start their promised hour. With a flash of Sakura and a burst of chakra, she seems to vanish. Sakura reappears behind the now clashing clouds of sand, as to not be put between the enemy. With an unsuspected leap, she jumps into the air and comes down upon the ground, initiating a dreadful axe kick.

"Heavenly Sky Kick!!" The crowd shuts up.

The ground splits apart in a gash nearly twelve inches wide. The sands immediately pull back to protect their master, but as the fracture in the earth nears Sabaku no Gaara, it doesn't reach any more than one and a half meters in front of him. The sands start up again and lash out at Sakura, who once again disappears, only to find more sand waiting for her. She dashes around Gaara in a gradually enclosing circle, flickering every now and then to save precious chakra. Gaara, enjoying this unsuspected thrill, speads his clouds of sand even thinner with hopes of catching the stray cherry blossom.

Sakura during her dash, had performed the preparation signs for a kawarimi (substitution) no jutsu. Flickering by instantly releasing miniscule amounts of chakra, Sakura made it into Gaara's inner layer of sand. In preparation to trap Sakura, Gaara used sunabushin no jutsu to create a sand replication.

'When the girl hits the doppelganger, she will waste precious time that she needs to escape…muhaha.'

Sakura does take the bait. With an in-your-face-literally attitude, Sakura blasts the doppelganger apart. The sand sprays everywhere and combines with the incoming sand to retaliate. Gaara appears to have endangered Sakura's vitality, but all that can be heard is the odd slicing sound of the sand upon the victim.

'Sakuraton no jutsu!' With a cloud of smoke, Sakura's body is replaced by an abundance of cherry blossoms, which are quickly shredded into dust. 'Well, that's it for sakuraton no jutsu; I'm all out of flower petals.' Sakura reappears only half a meter behind the sand and immediately dashes backwards, suffering a few scrapes at the upper arms. When she's as far as 5 meters, she skids to a stop. The sands have thinned out into numerous trails.

Sakura pulls back her fist. 'Well, this is well-planned.' She eyes the deadly formations as they begin their assault.

Unleashing most of her chakra at eight-eight degree angles, nearly straight down, she decreased the range of her attack to erupt the ground into shields of earth. Dashing out of her barrier, she sees that the sands have begun to thicken around Gaara again. Nearly four meters away from him, Sakura safely executes a chakra punch of massive magnitude to the ground.

"Heavenly Strike!!" Earth was uplifted at odd angles. The concentration of destruction was unleashed in front of Sakura, where the sands clashed with the attack to soften the blow. The encounter was limited to the fracturing of Gaara's last line of defense, and the cracking sound of the harmless second wave below his sandals. Gaara shifted his stance and grinned.

"I've played around long enough. Its time to have some fun." Sakura watches as Gaara pulls back and barricades himself. An eye appears atop of the barrier.

'I've been wasting a great amount of time trying to hit him from afar. I have to go in closer. I can't sacrifice any more chakra with _those_ attacks.'

Gaara initiates a mantra from inside the barrier. 'Come on girl. Mother is waiting.'

------

At first Sasuke was silently hoping the examiner would cancel the match. Then, when Sakura leaped into the ring, _literally_, he thought he should add getting her head examined to the top of his to-do list. Hell, if Gaara could give Sasuke a run for his life, what made Sakura think she had a chance?

Meanwhile, Temari was analyzing the worst-case scenario, which wasn't so good. 'The whole plan will be ruined thanks to that Tsunade-chibi!' Kankurou's brows crease with similar thoughts. Gaara's match is persistent in holding onto life…

Naruto, on the other hand, was voicing (yelling) his opinions, something about her being monstrously strong. Sasuke hits Naruto upside the head and resumes watching the cat and mouse, beginning to feel uncertain of which was which.

------

Sakura rushes in for a good shot at the sandman. With a swing of the hips, she pivots counter-clockwise and throws a super strong left cresent to the barrier. Just as she makes contact, cracking it only for it to reform, spikes shoot out of it. She dodges through using a series of cart wheels, then jumps, flipping once in the air, to land a painful axe kick.

"Heavenly Sky--!" Gaara easily counters by lashing out spikes. Sakura realizes the attack is a failed attempt, and pushes off with her previously kicking leg. The countering sand manages to cut her lower right leg and her left thigh as she flips backwards in midair. Once she lands, Sakura dashes backwards and successfully escapes the second pursuit.

------

"The protein pills work. She's evading his every move." Sasuke says more to himself than Naruto.

"Yeah, Gaara's got nothing on our Sakura-chan! I hope she kills him soon!" Naruto slightly growls, eyeing the gashes he caused to grace her legs.

Sasuke's eyes narrow. "…he'll pay for hurting our comrade. I wish the examiners would stop the match."

"What the hell are you talking about?! Have a little more faith in her!!"

"That's not it. Its just that… There's something not right with his techniques...There's something not right with him."

Naruto opens his mouth to speak, but closes it, remembering the almost-incident at the hospital. Even though it was Sakura who saved him, he couldn't shake off what that guy said.

"…" Naruto hangs his head. Frustrated, he grips the bar. All he can do is watch, but if he has to, he'll jump down to protect her like always.

------

Ino watches as Sakura pulls off her glove. 'With Gaara waiting on her, Sakura has the time to patiently heal her wounds. It's gonna be alright. Sakura's gonna come out on top.'

Ino takes this time to cheer/coach. "Yeah, girl! Get him with your One-Kill Punch! Go for the---Lee-san?"

"I didn't know…that she was fighting him…" Lee interrupts. He and Gai-sensei had finally arrived, coming directly from the hospital.

'Lee-san's so worried.' "Daijoubu, Lee-san! Sakura's going to come out on top! After all, I helped her with her training! Okay, I watched her train, but I've never seen anyone bloom as fast as her!" Ino flashes Lee a grin, to which he responds with a faint hopeful smile.

"But, if I couldn't beat him with taijutsu, what makes Sakura think she can take the same approach?" Lee, obviously, has just arrived.

Ino scowls. "Honestly, take a closer look! She's pulsing a greater amount of chakra than usual; she's drugged!—which is perfectly legal! (A/N: like using puppets and dogs w/ pills). Next time she attacks she'll give him a one-two, and that'll be the end of him!"

Lee frowns. "Isn't he in that sand barrier. That has to be at least ten times stronger than his sand armor. How do you expect her to hit him?"

"Hmph! …She'll figure something out. I know she will!" Ino turns her head towards the match again, which is at an intermission of sorts.

------

Sakura's eyes never leave Gaara's cocoon. In crouching position, she pulls off her glove and grabs it with her other hand then pulls off the remaining glove. She sets them on her mid thigh and crosses her palms over her left leg. She stops the bleeding of the minor gash and hyper-replicates the cells around the opening to heal it.

Pausing to listen, she finds no strange sounds are coming from the ground below. 'He's not even trying to use a sneak attack. This is a great opportunity for him.' Her eyes narrow and she goes back to work, still focused on Gaara. Then, neglecting the drying cuts, she starts on the lower part of her right leg. 'I'm still holding back, and that will cost me. I've got to charge him once I get within five meters range. I must be quick with my reactions. This will be hard to pull off, but it's my best chance.'

Sakura leers at Gaara as she slips back on her gloves. She jumps up and releases the chakra at her feet, one meter away from the barrier, and Gaara attacks, having seen this tactic prior.

"..?!" With quick thinking, she rethinks her plan and tries retreating a meter to dodge left of the spike. Right, then left again, Sakura slowly inches forward, while gathering chakra in her left fist. Unfinished, she rushes forward to strike the wall. Her left arm is cut as she charges, but once she connects, Sakura's punch disrupts the wall. In the few seconds it takes to reform over the fractures, She gather's chakra in her other fist and smashes through Sabaku no Gaara's rock-like barrier!

As Sakura grabs for Gaara's throat, she flashes a triumphant grin, but it quickly vanishes into fear. Something was grabbing her arm!

------

Temari eyes Kankurou, 'Kankurou, he doesn't care about the plan! What do we do?!' Kankurou replies by stealthily nudging his chin upward to show that the initiation of the sleeping spell has already been initiated. She then carefully looks around to find the blonde dobe and his friends are already nodding off, and surprisingly, that includes _the_ Uchiha Sasuke. Now all there was to do was wait for the signal.

------

"Ah--**Shannaro!"** Sakura, horrified at the unknown, immediately flexes arm, curls her injured fist, pulls back, then slams it into the wall. With power just enough to leave her uninjured, the hole manages to widen a little and she yanks her arm with all of her will. An unknown force tries to keep it imprisioned, but her brute strength wins. A grotesque arm emerges and attempts to pull her back into the hole. Losing stamina, she tries hitting the arm and successfully gets it to resign. Once it retreats back into the fractured barrier, a horrid roar erupts from within. Sakura watches, wondering what is happening to Gaara.

'_Monster? When I was born, I killed my mother. I am a natural-born monster!' _

'Bakemono!' "!!!" A flash of the black demonic eye shows from within the darkness of the cocoon. Then slowly, the sand formation diffuses and returns to its original state. The last part to willingly disrupt falls from Gaara's left hand.

Two shinobi jump off the top box. With a loud bang, one releases the grenade to send a smoke signal, instructing invaders every direction. The other eliminates the only guard present with the Sandaime Hokage.

Baki and the sand siblings rush over. Temari politely fusses with Gaara, trying to make him obey orders.

"What's going on!" Baki interrupts Temari, "The operation is already moving!"

"He depleted his chakra, trying to change before the signal was issued." Temari says.

Baki growls, frustrated. "Dammit, he's our trump card. We'll have to press on without him while his chakra replenishes. You two: fall back and don't return a moment before he's ready!"

The brother grabs Gaara by the waist, then slings his arm over his shoulder.

------

The Kazekage kidnapped the Hokage and fled to the tiled rooftop that overviewed the whole arena. The Hokage asks wisely why the Kazekage would throw away all their efforts at peace. With an eerie reply, the Kazekage reaches towards his face to discard his disguise. The man before the Hokage was none other than Orochimaru. Realization hits the Sandaime Hokage, and he knows that he must slay his former student.

'_A building cannot stand without its pillars.' Sandaime Hokage_

------

"Sasuke! Are you awake?" Kakashi crouches next to Sasuke, and moves to wake him, when the boy moves into a sitting position.

"I was faking it," Sasuke turns to look at Kakashi through blood-red eyes, "I used Sharingan, of course."

"Good. You're getting a mission. It's your first A-Ranked mission since the Hide-in-the-Mist."

"What do you want me to do?"

------

The sand siblings flee, jumping over the arena wall. Baki is left to deal with the examiner.

"This won't be as easy as you planned." Genma steps in front of Sakura.

"Hoho, you think so?"

"Is Orochimaru the one behind this?"

"Why the hell should I care. Kazekage gives orders, and we follow."

Genma then addresses Sakura, "I'm sorry, miss, but the Chuunin Exams are over. You've already reached chuunin level. You're a konoha kunoichi. You should put you training to good use."

"So, you want me go after Sabaku no Gaara, right? Like a continuation of our match, right?" Sakura asks rhetorically.

"Be careful. This is the real thing. Unlike the exam, there will be no one to help you."

Sakura quickly reaches into her bag and pulls out another soldier pill. "Its all the same to me, my life and my dream!" Sakura dashes for the wall. Baki shoots a handful of kunai in her direction, but Genma shoots his own at Baki's, deflecting them from their initial course. Sakura leaps over the wall, tailing after the sand-nins.

------

"Sasuke: Wake up Naruto and Shikamaru, then leave as stealthily as possible via the stairs and upper floor where the sleeping spectators are seated. I can't leave this place, but…Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" As the smoke diffuses, the summoned pug becomes visible. "Pakkun here will act as the fourth member of your makeshift squad. With his nose, you'll be able to track Sakura's scent."

"Our fourth member is a puppy?"

Pakkun leaps onto Sasuke's knee and stares him in the face. "Usually I'd be angry, but hearing a guy call me a cute little puppy creeps me out too much."

Pakkun hops down while Sasuke gives him a look of disgust. 'What the hell? I didn't say that!'

Kakashi turns to leave, "Alright, it's all up to you, Sasuke."

Sasuke forms a series of seals and then presses two fingers to Naruto's neck. "Kai." He releases the genjutsu. Naruto stirs.

"Ugh, what's going on, Sasuke?" Naruto yawns.

"I'll tell you everything later, but right now we have to wake Shikamaru."

As Sasuke forms the seals next to Shikamaru's fallen form, he witnesses a sudden twich. The kind of twitch too easily associated with one who cannot perfectly play opossum. "Shikamaru, you were awake this whole time? The coast has been clear ever since Kakashi came." If there was an Inner Sasuke, you know what he would say. "Pakkun…"

"Already ahead of you," Pakkun replies as he bites Shikamaru's leg.

Shikamaru rises instantly, yelling in a frenzy of pain. "Oh man, why'd you have to get me involved? This is so troublesome. Why would I need to rescue Sakura when she can help herself. Plus, you here."

"Whoa…Sasuke, what's happening?" Naruto's shakes out of his dazed state.

"Good. Now that the dobe's awake we can leave." Making their way up the stairs, the group sees a gigantic hole in the wall.

"Gwagh..!" Maito Gai hurls another sound-nin through the air.

"I made that opening for you youngsters; Go now, and may the youth be with you!...Kyah!!" He takes off after another opponent, tallying his kills, and comparing results with Kakashi every now and then. "35 and plenty more to go! How about you Kakashi!!"

"35." Kakashi, mind distant, shortly replies.

Kakashi looks momentarily into the distance, then disappears and reappears, slaying another enemy. "Haha, my rival is hard to beat!! Know this: My youth will prevail today!!!"

'…Sakura…'

------

How do like that, shannaro! The chapters are getting exponentially longer! To think that the first one had less than 1000 words! Kya, I'm so happy I could squeal!

**Inner Mari: Or not…please don't.**

Oh, yeah! Notes!

1. Heavenly attacks: great contrasting name when facing a demon.

2. Chakra Punch and Heavenly Strike: Heavenly Strike is a leveled form of Chakra Punch. One-Kill Punch is the nickname given to the Chakra Punch.

3. Heavenly Sky Kick: Sakura's Painful Sky Leg. C-ranked technique (says wikipedia). Sakura cannot use it yet with out the soldier pill, and here's why…actually, I'll tell you next chapter.

4. Sakuraton no Jutsu (Escape by cherry blossoms): Remember the reference book from the library? Though it was useless to Sakura, it shows that substitution can be used with anything. The Substitution Log has a very tight schedule and cannot be everywhere at once! Take a number!!

5. Levels of easiness from least to greatest are: Anime, Manga, Fanfictions. So not fair, but that's where the imagination adds a bonus. Still, some things couldn't be shown as I wished. There were too many people to switch too, and I had to shake up the timeline a bit to make it flow like my vision. Just make inferences for the other characters.

6. I wanted to post this with the following story like they do with the Naruto Specials! (anime) wah…oh well. I'm just too impatient. Maybe I'll keep it up for today and then take it down…or something.

7. And anything else…just leave in a review, I guess. shrugs

Which reminds me…

Onegai, Read and Review!!!


	14. The Long Awaited Fight II

The Alternate Path

By Inner Self

Chapter XIV: The Long Awaited Fight II

I cut it off because I like playing w/ the chapter titles! (And switch, and beginn!!)ßI know.

--XIV--

_"So, you want me go after Sabaku no Gaara, right? Like a continuation of our match, right?" _

--The Long Awaited Fight II--

Sakura scales the great wall of the arena and leaps over fluidly. She then concentrates a miniscule amount of chakra into her feet and scales a random tree at the edge of the forest. Hopping from one to the next, she hopes desperately to find her targets in time.

Flying from one to the other, she lightly and swiftly charges after her enemy, but at this pace there is no time to see. _'What?' _An explosion goes off, "!!" Without eyes, one can only react.

------

The sand siblings race through the canopies. "Temari, someone's tailing us!"

"Yeah, that's the second time you've complained! You think I don't know already?" She says, not at all questioningly.

"Well, then what do you think we should do?"

"What I _thought_ we should do was try to out-run that brat. It has to be her. Every other konoha-nin is indisposed right now," Temari smirks but then it disappears; the situation has become serious, for once since their arrival in Konoha. "She is not someone we should come into direct contact with. She's not a walking fluke any more."

'Yeah, she's a rampaging druggie,' Kankurou adds as a sidethought.

"We shouldn't make any direct confrontations… but that's not an option! You go ahead with Gaara."

'Hopefully one of my traps can take care of her,' Temari muses. 'If not, my revenge will be even sweeter.' Temari places a hand on her repaired fan, having not forgotten, then reaches into her dress to pull out a spool of metal wire. Pulling with her teeth, she sets off to work.

------

Sakura, not thinking clearly, falls into one of the enemies traps. With the concentration of chakra already being pumped into her feet, Sakura releases it and dodges the explosion by a fraction of a second, jumping upward to the underside of another branch.

'Ino, what would I do without you?' And Sakura would take the time to comically wipe the sweat off her brow…if it weren't for the explosion tag waiting for her.

"..!!" Landing, then pushing off, instantly, another tag explodes. She flips and braces for the ground, but spots another trap. 'Wires!' Sakura's 'perfect chakra control' is put to the test. Concentrating on nothing but landing on the wire, Sakura manages to bend the laws of physics. Instantly surging chakra into the wire, Sakura manages to strengthen it to allow her weight.

'There's a wire there, and another there," Sakura, multitasking, decides it best to keep her plan simple during her time on the wire. She inches her way toward the tree tied by her wire. Once there she leaps. 'I will head straight through there and substitute on the first trap I hit.'

---

'I see she's gotten through my little forest of death.' Temari unwraps her fan. With a powerful swing, she throws her signature technique upon her enemy.

---

Sakura shoots through the traps, her petite frame narrowly missing all of them. Upon reaching the end, she feels an oncoming rush of wind accompanied by a furious voice. "Itachi!" Oh, yeah. She's pissed.

'Temari!' Sakura's eyes grow wide for a brief moment before squeezing shut. She brings up her arms to cover her face. Futile, she is hit head on and smacks against a tree.

Temari sweeps her fan once more to finish the job securely, when Sakura's unconscious body returns to its original form and is chopped to pieces.

'A log?!'

---

With Sakura's substitution technique activated, she stealthily escapes to a nearby tree. 'I accept your challenge. **Bring it on! Shannaro!'** Unleashing a punch as soon as Temari unleashes her attack, Sakura arms herself with the trunk of her tree. "Head's up!"

"!!" Temari jumps aside, but Sakura's warning was too late. She's abruptly hit by the massive object. If it was any larger, she would have heard all the bones on her left side crack. The tree continues its diagonal path as Temari falls gracefully to the ground, her fan slowing the impact.

Sakura, being the medic-type she is, evaluates Temari's condition. Seeing no fatal injuries, she continues her pursuit.

"Ciao!"

------

Sakura turns around and waves tauntingly at Temari, then dashes off again on her mission. Running at full speed, she closes in on Kankurou's location. Still fired up, Sakura unleashes a chakra punch to another helpless tree.

---

"What happened to Temari?" Kankurou feels the other's presence approaching his. With all the cargo he had to support, escape wouldn't be an option without Temari. "I hope that's her. The auras are similar."

Kankurou continues running through the canopies until he hears an abnormal rustle of leaves. 'Aw, what did I do now, Temari?' Kankurou internally whines as he turns his head to see…

"Oh, _shit!_"

With a rustle of a thousand leaves and a devastating collision of trunk and branch, the place where Kankurou previously stood was destroyed. Kankurou barely escapes jumping to another tree branch.

"I've found you."

------

The three and one dog followed after Sakura. When the alarming sound of bombs shot off, the groups hearts began to race. They were about to pick up speed when Pakkun addressed them, "Its too dangerous! There's a better chance that Sakura will survive rather than all four of us! We'll have to go around and meet her on the other side."

As they continued, however, Pakkun noticed another scent. "Whoa, this is—"

"What?!" They all interrupt.

"Sakura-san wears the same kind of shampoo as I do!" Sasuke bops the pug on the top of the head as the others topple over and cling to their branch before composing theirselves.

"I don't suppose that helps!" Sasuke asks rhetorically.

"Well, no, but," Pakkuns mood changes seriously, "we're being followed."

"How many?" Sasuke inquires.

"Eight—no, there's another following them…probably to protect them from ambushes."

"Alright," Sasuke orders, "we should ambush them anyways. Since we know about their extra precaution, they won't be much of a problem. "

Shikamaru sighs, "Well, don't you feel confident. Look, prodigy among us or not, we don't have the standard number proper for an ambush. All we have are," Shikamaru grunts something about 'besides you' to Sasuke, "an dog, an idiot, and the biggest chicken you've ever seen…" he pauses to watch the said person and dog's expressions change from annoyed to confused, "me. Plus, we don't have any territory for which to ambush or enough firepower," Sasuke coughs. "Therefore, I think it would be best, before Sasuke objects, to use a feint operation that _looks _like an ambush."

"How many should stay for this operation? I could run ahead and kill Gaara before Sakura reaches him." Sasuke suggest.

Shikamaru declines, "Actually, only one will be needed."

Naruto takes his turn to object, "Wait? You two are planning to leave me behind, aren't you? Look, I know I could take them out with kagebunshin…but Sakura-chan really needs my help! Make Sasuke-teme do it!"

Shikamaru sighs, "You guys really are idiots. Don't tell me you never knew why the Nara clan's secret technique was created."

"Shikamaru…" Naruto trails.

"I haven't used an ounce of chakra yet, so, with surprising luck, I'll probably just be standing there until the cavalry arrives."

"Huh?...Okay, then! We're counting on you," he grins, "Shikamaru!"

------

'How could I lose to a spoiled brat like her?' Temari tilts her head to look at the blue sky peaking through the trees. 'I need to get up. I have duties to fulfill.'

------

"I've found you." Sakura smiles innocently. "It didn't take as long as I thought it would."

'Damnit, I can't tell if the brat's bluffing or not.'

The trees rustle off to the side of Sakura. She listens in as she keeps smiling to Kankurou.

As stoic as usual, the konoha-nin politely says, "I am here to assist you, Sakura-san."

"Thank-you, Shino-san, I accept your help. I will heal any injuries you acquire, as well as observe Gaara's status."

Shino looks as if he wishes to question Sakura.

"That's a medic's role, afterall. You're safe in my care." She smiles truthfully, happily. "Take this," She hands him an antidote. "Puppet masters are known for installing poisonous apparatuses into their dolls. There's a chance this will help."

'Damn Tsunade and her chibi!' Kankurou prepares to stall as long as possible. In reality, there's no way for him to fight while carrying his precious village's trump card. 'Where the hell are you, Temari?'

Another tremendous rustle of leaves is heard. 'Not again! Wait,' Sakura, standing still, has no intention of hitting him with another heft of lumber. The breeze centers around Kankurou. 'That can only be…'

"Temari!" She floats gracefully from the sky onto the same branch where Kankurou was. Hopping cautiously from her fan, it is obvious to everyone of her pain.

"Kankurou, get out of here. There's no way you can fight hauling him everywhere." Temari says, adding an inaudible gasp of pain.

"You sound exhausted," Kankurou gives Temari custody of Gaara, to which she _must_ protest, but he cuts her off, "Don't be foolish. Focus on running. Leave them to me and Karasu."

Temari still administers a rebellious look, but he yells at her and she finally leaves.

------

"It seems that Gaara has stopped movement," Pakkun sniffs and announces. "Sakura-san has caught up with him. We should change plans and intervene now. "

"Dattebayo!!" Naruto cries!

"—No, wait. Gaara's on the move again."

"Aw, man! Wait, we're suppose to find Sakura! Let's go help Sakura-chan!"

"There's already another Konoha-nin with Sakura-san. I just hope she can work with the creepy type because he's got that kind of aura."

Naruto laughs, "That's gotta be Shino. Kiba mentioned he was weird and strong, being on his team and all!"

"Hn. He must have escaped from the candidate box." Sasuke detaches, thinking of when he activated his Sharingan, and when Kakashi gave them orders.

"Well, now that that's settled, let's continue shall we? We've got a lot of ground to cover." Pakkun sniffs again.

------

"Sakura, you're opponent is leaving. I can handle things here."

"That goes against my medic code!" Sakura says, to which Shino raises an eyebrow questioningly. "And she won't get far like that! She's counting on Kankurou to—" Karasu appears from under during their quarrel.

"We'll meet up somewhere!" Sakura replies, dashing away from the knife darting out from Karasu's palm heal strike. Shino dashes backwards in the exact opposite direction.

"I guess we have no choice." Karasu shoots kunai via the jaw apparatus and Shino dissolves into numerous bugs once they make impact.

"Shino, head's up wherever you are!" Sakura has detached (yet) another tree and thrown it at Kankurou's direction. 'He's hiding in one of those trees!' She then forms hand seals and substitutes as Karasu opens his mouth to shoot off darts.

The thrown trunk hits horizontally and crashes upon two of the trees in Kankurou's location. Kankurou jumps out of one of them. 'I need to find cover before—'

Shino jumps to Kankurou's location and throws a punch.

'Hah, he missed! He's too cocky with that Tsunade-chibi around!' Kankurou twitches his forefinger and brings up his arm. As he retreats from close quarters, Karasu unlocks its elbow joints, opens another apparatus, and launches a smoke bomb.

'It's poisoned.' Shino tries to cover his face but inhales some of the smoke. He jumps to a higher position, and administers the basic antidote. Sakura reveals herself to him, as if to ask an underlying question.

'That will be all, Sakura-san,' she sees him mouth from her overview position, 'Thank-you.'

Kakashi's first lesson: Search beneath the underneath!

Sakura pumps chakra into the soles of her feet as she flees from the scene towards her main objective. 'You won't get away. Not with Temari's condition.' Sakura knows that one more 'tree' and Temari could be dead.

------

"Hey, Naruto," Pakkun asks.

"What, more shampoo?" He asks irritatedly. They still had a ways to go to pass Sakura.

"No, well, technically yes. Sakura's begun pursuing again. We can expect our encounter to be in approximately five or ten minutes."

"That's good dattebayo!"

"Also…"

"Also?" Sasuke and Naruto both inquire.

"Also…Shikamaru's pursuers were caught a while back. I forgot to mention. Gomen."

"Hn. Stupid dog."

"I would leave, but I have orders," Pakkun snaps. "Also, another has just now come to the aide of Shikamaru, and taken down the tracker-nins. He smells bad…like cigarettes. Has to be Asuma-san."

------

Sakura gulps as she closes in on Gaara. Right before face-to-face confrontation, she pulls out the container once more, and swallows one soldier and protein pill each. 'I didn't need the protein against Kankurou…what a waste.'

_'Don't abuse the use of these pills.' _

'Heh, gomen ne, Tsunade-taichou. It's not like I have a lot of options right now.' She smiles sadly.

---

Sakura drops from overhead and confronts Temari. "He hasn't recovered and neither have you. Surrender onegai-shimasu."

Temari grits her teeth. She hears Gaara stir and lets out a sigh of relief. 'I'm saved.' Oh, the irony.

Gaara raises his head. "Haruno Sakura…why do you insist on existing when you're as good as dead." He laughs maliciously, ominously.

Temari's eyes grow wide. Gaara is unstable, and he's slung over her arm.

"I'll let you live on if you like. Once I kill you, I shall mix your blood with my sand. Then you will stay forever, and live for my existence!"

Temari tries to find a way to calm him. "Gaara, that wound," she reaches into her dress, "this ointment will help."

She begins to open it. "No, _thank-you, _you're in my way!" Gaara backhands Temari to the chest and sends her flying towards a destination where she'll meet with a mortal conflict.

------

Sakura instantly reacts when she witnesses the horrible sight of Gaara hitting his sister, his own blood. She rushes forward to Temari's airborne form, and catches her from behind. Sakura cushions Temari's contact with the tree trunk by sacrificing herself.

_'A medic-nin should save herself so that she can save others.' _

'But I'm not a medic-nin, not yet, and I wanted to save this person.' Sakura holds the tears as she recovers and rolls off of the tree to escape Gaara's wrath.

'Konoha-nin are such fools.' Temari thinks before passing out.

Back facing Gaara, Sakura grits her teeth as she forms the familiar set of seals. Bearing the pain, she flees from his's presence during his next attack.

Not pleased, Gaara's chakra signature changes as his sand forms to coat his arm and stops at the right side of his face. Sakura peaks from where she is hiding and sees that his eye has changed into the one from within his shell in their previous fight.

"..!" Sakura returns to her fetal position behind the tree and covers her mouth with her hand. Slowly, she releases it and breathes as deeply as stealth will allow.

"Haruno!" Gaara calls from a distant. "Haruno girl! You aren't dead yet so come on out!"

'Well this isn't good… I'll just have to throw a couple of trees at him," Sakura reaches behind to rub her back, "but that would aggravate my back if I put too much pressure on it. What should I do…throw trees from a safe distance or go punch his lights out?' Sakura spends a few seconds weighing her options, mainly just to help herself stay positive.

Those seconds end when a roar erupts from Gaara once again, "Haruno! Come out and fight. Is this how Tsunade's apprentice fights? You'll shun her name, Haruno Sakura!"

Sakura's eyes widen in shock. 'How did he find out about her?'

Gaara throws his grotesque arm at a tree not five feet from Sakura. She curls up to protect herself as it shatters like glass. One piece grazes her arm.

"I smell your blood…Does it hurt, Haruno? Are you in pain?"

'I guess my options have just been limited.' Sakura grimaces. With one punch, she destroys her haven, then picks it up to swing at him.

Gaara merely crushes the trunk once it makes contact with his monstrous arm. Gaara laughs manically as a tail forms from the sand and his gourd , "Haruno Sakura. Let us judge the most valuable existence," He charges at her, "by whoever throws the last punch!!"

Sakura jumps through the scattered debris. Gathering chakra for her most dreadful technique, Haruno Sakura decides to take his life.

------

_"Be careful. This is the real thing. Unlike the exam, there will be no one to help you." _

------

Oh, yeah! I've learned a lot. Like how to implement corny and make it uncorny. I really hope you enjoyed this! I feel so accomplished! Thank-you to all my reviewers!

Animeluver, mm, Millie, and everyone: I hear your cries and have answered them generously! Please enjoy this update. Sadly (or not, this actually seems for the better now that I think about it) I cut off the chapter because its 11, I need my sleep, and I wanted to finish before one of the toughest weeks I'll have in school since ever. Damn EOIs are getting to me this year and I have no idea why. (May edit later. I dunno how bad the grammar is.)

xXWinterXx: someone had to jk. (Randomness) Oh how i wish i could pay someone to animate the scenes. but i'd have to win the lottery. and that would be bad. Hey, I could always get to work on my doujin…hmm…should I even bother answering that?

Note: I lost my original audience. Sorry about the troublesomeness but I'll be moving the story from under Gaara's name to Sasuke's. Sasuke is, after all, the main conflict in Sakura's original path. I guess I could split it into two parts and put the second under Gaara as the second character. Tell your friends.

Onegai-shimasu, Read and Review!


	15. Procedures I

The Alternate Path

By Inner Self

Chapter XV: Procedures I

Disclaimer: Do I do this every chapter? Um, I don't own. (KISHIMOTO-SAN!! GAMBATTE!!)

------

"Die, demon!!" She screams.

He roars.

Gaara blocks Sakura's attack with his tail, which disintegrates into its previous state. He then throws his demonic arm in a sweeping motion and knocks her into a nearby tree.

Sakura impacts with a paralyzing shock. After a few seconds, the shock is replaced with overwhelming pain. Enduring it, Sakura inches her hand into her kunai holster. Taking out all her tools, she flings them at the monster before her, who is reforming his tail.

The demon only laughs at her pitiful ironic means of escaping death. He merely slaps them away with brute force, turning them upon their master. She crosses both arms in front of her upper torso. Though most of the ill-aimed objects hit contact her, they only manage to leave gashes on her collar, shoulders, and limbs, barely missing her vitals. Even so, the flowing sanguine color drips out of her body. Sakura tries to close the wounds with her mystical palm technique, but movement only encourages the flow. Besides, she has neither enough energy nor time for healing. The flow will continue and she will wait for the enemy to strike. Haruno Sakura is doomed.

As the drips pool around her, Sakura fails to restrain her tears. 'I hope…at least…Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun will be okay.' She sobs.

"How pathetic," he mocks, "that the useless loser still clings to life." He cries enthusiastically as he jumps towards her and throws back his arm.

"Haruno Saku--!" As feet meet face and friends meet foe, Sakura about dies from a heart attack. Her love (and Naruto) had come to save her! Later, she'd be aggravated at the thought of being situated in a damsel-type scenario, but presently, Sakura was barely managing not to die from a heart failure…

…Or loss of blood, as Naruto reminds her. "Sakura-chaaan! Sakura-chan, you're bleeding!!"

**"Oh my god, really?" Inner Sakura replies before Sakura recovers from fainting. **

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura whispers as they rush to kneel by her side. Sasuke tells her that speaking will only worsen her state, but she refuses by slightly shaking her head. "No, listen. In my bag…get the dark red pills, and give me one. That should buy me some time."

"Time?!" Naruto yells. "Don't talk like you're gonna die, otherwise our _saving _you is worthless!!"

"Idiot, I meant so that I could heal myself." Sakura coughs and spits up the bit of blood that was in the back of her throat, scaring the hell out of the two.

"Are you sure?!" Naruto questions (loudly). Sakura nods. "I can use Sasuke's chakra to heal myself…"

"If I'll allow it, I know, stop monologuing," Sasuke cuts her off. "Your situation will become critical." He flashes Naruto a serious look. "I'll hold off Gaara until your condition stablilizes. Use Naruto's chakra," Sasuke adds, simultaneously unbuttoning the strap on his forearm. "He's got plenty."

Sasuke braces his hand and pulses his chakra into it. He leaps towards Gaara and unleashes the attack. The arm disintegrates. Sasuke then throws his Lion combo and directs Gaara's form into the ground below. He spots Temari's unconscious form and neglects it. His only concern would be defeating Sabaku no Gaara.

Meanwhile, Naruto rummages into Sakura's bag and pulls out random contents…

"Is it this one?"

"No."

"How about this?"

"No. To the left."

"Yes?"

"No, more lefter."

"Yes?—No.—Yes?—Yes!"

Naruto quickly opens the container and grabs one of the circular pills, then pops it into Sakura's mouth with his thumb and pointer-finger. Sakura chews, swallows, and hastily grabs Naruto's hands, placing them over her collar. Within half a minute, the blood had stopped flowing to the area. Next, they healed the wounds on Sakura's shoulders, then the remaining parts of her arms.

Finally, they reached the place of most concern: the thighs. Naruto, feeling a blush creep along, grinned and moved his palms to rest on her legs but she immediately brushed them away. Sakura knew this would happen and decided to heal them without Naruto's assistance, to which he groaned.

"Geez, we're in the middle of a battle, you pervert." Sakura said. Naruto then denied his relation to the Ero-sannin, as Sakura imagined causes of death for the unbearable idiot. 'Ahem, battle.' Naruto jumps around to find that…wow, there really is a war going on. "Which is why I did not hit you. Go help Sasuke!" Sakura pushes Naruto off the tree.

---

Sakura is busying her nervous self by flexing her limbs. Regardless of how it hurt like hell, the exercises would help in the long run. Sakura stares into the direction Naruto left to busy her time. He and Sasuke had teamed up to take down the Gaara now completely enveloped in the transformed sand. When the situation got brought back to her location, Shuukaku/Gaara jousted his arm towards Sakura. Sasuke used his god-like speed to remove her from the targeted location and regrouped to where Naruto was.

Sasuke was about to set Sakura down when Gaara transformed for the final time into the colossus tanuki. He slammed his forepaw into their direction and destroyed the site. The team retreated a couple more times until they masked their whereabouts from the monster.

"Sasuke, how the hell do we beat this guy?!"

Putting Sakura down, he replies grimly, "We don't."

"What?!"

"We should retreat and get help…"

Sakura frowns and recalls what Genma said, "This is not a test. There will be no one to help us should we fail."

"Yeah, and besides, we can't give up!" Says Naruto while moving to get a better view of the monster. Out of ideas he concentrates a massive amount of chakra, which doesn't go unnoticed by the transformed Gaara. He brings his paw up from the ground.

"Naruto, run! Get out of the way!" Sakura screams. The sand gathers above Naruto and shoots out at him. Naruto evades while taking the fight away from his friends, but is caught in a matter of seconds. The other subordinates watch in horror as the coffin of sand wraps around him.

" Sabaku Ky—" Gaara is about to call, but the power from inside the deathtrap overwhelms his attack.

---

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Naruto summons the toad split seconds before Gaara can finish the execution.

---

Sakura and Sasuke watch from the sidelines. The fight is in Naruto's hands. With his luck, they can win this.

Sakura ordered Sasuke to rest and wait for the outcome. While waiting and listening to the clash above, she spoke nostalgically to her crush. "Today was the second time I broke the XXnd shinobi rule, stating that ninja should not cry. I felt weak… I felt that my failure would kill you two in the end, and I could only pray for your safety as my dying wish."

"Its alright. Just be glad you weren't crying for your own pathetic situation," he pauses, "that's where the rule actually applies."

"I feel like I should do something. I wish I was stonger…"

"You're insane. You've had one month to become this strong. You have no blood limit, no insane chakra supply…and yet…you've grown this much." She was about to thank him cheerfully at the compliment, when she noticed him gritting his teeth and clenching his fist.

'Why's he so frustrated?' Sakura wonders. Sasuke turns his alert glare towards the monsterous battle. Sakura follows and they resume watching the battle.

------

Trees are upturned. Gigantic blasts of wind and massive 'bullets' of water are exchanged between the two creatures. Gaara gives full possession over to Shuukaku and his power increases drastically. The toad, Gama Bunta, requests Naruto to transform into an animal with claws, A.K.A. Kyuubi, and the duo manage to launch Naruto onto Shuukaku, disrupting the technique.

Gaara tries to execute Naruto with his sand technique but Bunta protects him. Regardless, Naruto's movements are stopped by the tanuki's quicksand-like skin. Naruto glances back at his teammates and sees the battle is being pushed, literally, towards them. At this revelation, Naruto's power regenerates and a swell of chakra overwhelms him, to the point that his hands are scorched and his loose articles are torn from his person. He uses the raw power to pull himself to Gaara, the medium. "Wake Up!" Naruto headbutts Gaara. The possessed form cracks instantaneously, and they fall, landing atop opposite trees. Bunta leaves. With one final clash, Naruto slams his fist into Gaara's cheek. They fall again, this time ending up on the ground floor.

---

_"I am strong because I have others who need my strength." _(A/N: Basically, insert Naruto's monologue.)

---

Shikamaru was, basically, saved by Asuma-sensei. Though the wait (again literally) took ten minutes, his teacher showed up to finish off all of the kagemane no jutsu's prisoners.

---

"I am sorry, Sakura-san. It looks like I will not be able to assist you now." Shino finished the fight with a draw. Without Sakura's antidote, he would have been paralyzed sooner than acceptable.

------

Sakura gets up. She jumps from tree to tree over to Temari. Sasuke follows her. "She's a prisoner of war. Let's take her with us down to Naruto."

"Yeah."

"Wait. Let me patch her up first."

"Why?"

"If I'm going to be a medic-nin, I have to take my job seriously, regardless of the patient's side."

'When did you decide that?' He wanted to taunt. He felt pretty useless at the moment with all the actions Naruto and Sakura were taking toward the situation.

"She received fractures in her right scapula, radius, humerus, and ulna, and cracked her ribs in a few places. I'll bandage her limbs and use some of my chakra that's left to strengthen them enough to move her."

"You know, I think I'm getting better at this!" Sakura mentions as she works on Temari's lower rib cage. With Sasuke's insubordinance in treating the enemy, the work took five minutes, more or less.

---

Sasuke, as grudging as ever, left Sakura the job of carrying Gaara's sister. He dropped down from the canopy as Sakura slowly descended, walking down a trunk to the base. They were met by Naruto, along with the two brothers. As shocking as it appeared to Sasuke and Sakura, it was actually _Gaara_ telling _Kankurou_ not to fight.

'He looks…out of it.' Sakura thought, albeit perplexed. Remembering what she overheared Gaara saying in the hospital, she concluded that Naruto had brought the troubled soul to the light side…or something similar.

"Temari!" Kankurou shouts.

Sakura walks to the center, halfway between Gaara and Naruto. "I have treated Temari. Therefore, you should agree to capture peacefully." She says while laying Temari on the ground.

Kankurou hesitates.

"Kankurou." Gaara calls, annoyed and exhausted. Kankurou yields. Temari stirs.

"What the…?" It takes Temari a while to adjust to the revelation. "Has the chaos ended? How?" Temari turns her head and is bewildered to see a helpless Gaara.

"Temari," he says sincerely, looking at Temari, "I'm sorry." Her eyes water a little at the intensity of his gaze.

"I forgive you." She replies. Kunoichi do not cry…unless they're happy because their psychotic brother has turned a new leaf. Temari relaxes and falls back to sleep. Naruto soon follows.

"Kankurou…" Gaara starts.

"You don't have to say it." Kankurou interrupts, letting a small smile pass.

After hours of waiting, ANBU scouts appear to let them know the situation is under control. The invaders had been successfully repelled. At first glance, the ANBU almost attacked the sand siblings but relinquish to Sakura's explanation. The sand siblings are taken into the ANBU's custody and escorted back to Konoha with cell 7.

---

The ANBU walk down one of the deserted roads, escorting the slow-paced sand siblings towards the interrogation quarters. "This is where we'll leave you." The leader states and they continue on their way. The three of cell 7 saunter down the road. In a couple of minutes, they would cross the fork which would lead them their separate ways home.

Gradually, Sakura's body had been tiring. Her legs filled with lead after every step and the places where she'd healed her wounds began to sting. Slowly, they began to reappear, seeming as though new ones had been placed as they tore open on her thighs…

The next thing Sasuke feels is her form grasping his arm and pressing against his side. He was about to shove her off, disgusted at her newest attempt in acquiring a date, until he felt the sticky sanguine liquid drip from her arm onto his.

"I knew those pills had side effects," says Sakura, referring to the last time she strained herself to strike Gaara. "This must be what happens when you don't rely on your strength."

"Sakura, stop talking. I'm taking you to the hospital," he says, picking her up nimbly. "Naruto, come as quickly as possible." And with that vague set of instructions, Sasuke and Sakura vanish from Naruto's sight.

---

Sasuke takes the less irritatingly crowded route by sweeping through the rooftops. With all his grace, he manages to arrive at the hospital in a matter of minutes. Although his actions have aggravated Sakura's wounds to a point, the quick trip overall saved her from a worse degree of blood loss.

"How may I help you…?" The nurse at the desk starts and then shrieks worriedly as she sees the girl in Sasuke's arms.

"This is an emergency! Which way!" Sasuke 'asks.'

The nurse points a timid finger in the direction of his next destination. "D-Down the hall, you'll bump into one of the nurses and they'll direct you to an available doctor. I'll call down to alert them." Sasuke nods in gratitude and bolts down the corridor. "W-wait! You forgot to fill out the forms!"

'Who fills out forms at a time like this? Imbecile!' Sasuke turns the corner and runs into a nurse. She then tells him to run down the rest of the corridor and take another right to reach the emergency room. When he gets there, he bumps into a set of familiar medic-nins. 'Those four helped out at the tournament. Maybe they'll be able to help.'

"Sirs, my friend has passed out due to blood loss and needs immediate medical attention. Please help!" Sasuke pleads, oblivious to the 'f' word.

"Get a stretcher and take her into one of the operation rooms!" One of them orders to the other three.

"Hai!" They reply and remove her from Sasuke.

"How long has she been passed out?" Another one interrogates.

"She lost consciousness at the front desk, a little over a minute ago."

"We'll have to hurry, but I think she'll make it."

"She took a blood pill."

"A blood pill…? Yes, that increases the mortality rate 25 and the recovery rate fully," he says, stroking his chin, "Now if you'll excuse us..."

------

The precious minutes Sasuke spent on the cushioned bench seemed like hours. Such a delicate procedure as chakra healing only took a few minutes in reality. Yet, the wait always tore at the bystander's patience. One word decides the fate of those who enter the emergency room…

The door (finally) creaked open and one of the doctors walked out and shut the door behind him. After taking a breath, he spoke: "Haruno Sakura…the kunoichi you are waiting for is going to make a full recovery. She will need a few days in the hospital to recover," the man then passes Sasuke a slip of paper. "This is the room in which she will be staying. She has already been moved to the room. You may visit her now if you please."

Sasuke discreetly exhales. "Thank-you." He says and turns one-eighty to go the way he had originally came. When he gets to the front desk, he sees the frantic dobe.

"I'm telling ya, lady, I need to see my friend now! She's in the emergency room!" He hollers.

"And for the thirteenth time, no one is allowed in the emergency rooms!" She clears her throat, "…Have you filled out the forms for the patient yet?"

Catching her evil eye, Naruto decides it best to go sit down. 'I don't think I like hospitals very much.'

He finishes the first page (of thirty) before Sasuke walks up to him.

"Let's see…maiden name…?" Naruto mumbles.

"Haruno, dobe." Sasuke smirks.

"Oh, yeah dattebayo!...Whoa! Sasuke-teme, where'd you come from?!"

"You're such an idiot—what was that?!—you'd be done by now if you would just use a concealing jutsu."

"…" Naruto ponders and then decides it's a good idea. After a few seals, Naruto finishes the paperwork and hands it to the nurse. "Here you are, ma'am."

"Thank-you!" She says, grinning. She stacks the papers neatly on her desk and waves to Naruto as he is directed by Sasuke down another corridor and up a flight of stairs.

---

"Is this it?" Naruto asks.

"Yeah. 401." Sasuke replies.

"Okay!" Naruto exclaims, sliding the door open. "Sakura-chan…"

"She's sleeping." Indeed, she was passed out on the snow white bed, hair spread out on her pillow. The linens covered her up to her chest with her arms placed outside of the warmth, on her stomach. Her dirtied garb was placed on a chair adjacent to her bed. A her hitae-ate and medic bag were placed on the night table on the other side.

"She looks dead." Naruto says awkwardly, noticing her hand position(1).

"Shut up."

"Sorry, I didn't think it would bother you since she fully recovered. You wouldn't guess she was badly injured not long ago…She's better and that's all that matters! Now, thinking more positively, we should wait to greet her when she wakes up! "

"Mmn." Sakura groans. "I think I'm up, Naruto." She moves into a sitting position.

"I told you to shut up."

Naruto was about to apologize, but Sakura held up her hand. "It's alright, really. Actually, I'm not that sleepy anymore. I think I used up the rest of that soldier pill though. Plus, the medics did an excellent job of patching me up!" She smiles warmly to ease his concern. "Naruto-kun, thank-you for today. You saved us." 'And you saved Gaara-san,' she thinks as a side note.

He flashes her a fox-like grin.

---

"Can you carry my stuff, Naruto-kun?" Sakura asks as she grabs her bloodied clothes.

"Are you sure you're ready to go home?"

"Of course," Naruto gives her a worried look, "I promise to rest when I get home, okay? I just don't like the idea of others taking care of me." She finishes nostalgically.

"Just let her leave. We'll take you home to make sure you don't faint."

Inner Sakura wrinkles her nose.

Sakura enters the w.c. to change out of the white patient's robe. She comes out and walks over to the bed to get her sandals and slips them on. As soon as they are ready to leave, the door opens from the outer side.

"Haruno-san…Haruno-san!!" The nurse screams at the sight her out of bed. "What are you doing! You should be resting!"

"What does it look like she's doing? She's checking out." Sasuke answers for her.

"Well, I never!" The nurse huffs as she places her hands on her hips.

"Thank-you for everything, Takaya-san. I feel much better!" Sakura announces, putting up a false smile.

"Stubborn, ungrateful kunoichi like you shouldn't bother coming back! You'll just die of exhaustion on your way out!"

**'Temper, temper.' **Inner Sakura chimes.

Upon entering the lobby, the nurse at the front desk noticed them, especially the blonde, and she trudged over to them, waving a stack of papers.

"These are forged!" She cries irritated.

"No, they are faked." Sasuke replies, touching them with one finger to release the genjutsu.

Internally cursing, the nurse regains her composure and forces a smile. "Well, I request that you fill them out as I escort the runaway patient back to her room."

Sakura administers an evil eye of her own, befitting of a future medic. "As we told Takaya-san, I will be checking out now," she says as she and the nurse lock eyes, "You two must be related. That hearing problem must be genetic…" Sakura pauses and then flashes a fake smile, "Well! If you will excuse us, we will be going now!"

"The nurse wrinkles her nose and glares at them, then returns to her desk. 'Well, I never!"

------

Though its not like you would have found out, I cut the chapter in half because it was too long. Actually, I'm even going to put the original ending at the beginning of chapter XVII.

Author's notes:

(1) I sleep like that! Lol! Seriously, that's the only way I'm comfortably unless I bear-hug my pillow or Gaara plushie.

Oh, yeah! The chapter was so long I decided to cut it off here! I'll post the rest in another chapter REALLY SOON, shannaro!! I'm loving writing now!!

Sakura/IS/Me/Inner Self: We really hope its good…

Ino: You need to be more confident!!

Oh, she's so right…Please review! (Or I'll go crawl under a rock, fearing disappointing all of you.)


	16. Procedures II

The Alternate Path

By Inner Self

Chapter XVI: Procedures II

I couldn't decide what to name chappies XV and XVI (and I guess XVII). Please don't hate me for splitting the chappie. Enjoy!

---Shannaro: hell yeah, damn right, etc.---

The room is dark and quiet. A pin can drop and anyone, shinobi or not, will know. Then the door creaks open. A tall, fearsomely scarred man enters. He walks around the occupied chair in the middle, and takes a seat behind the old wooden desk. An ANBU follows him into the room, closes the door, and stops to the side of the front of the desk. The interrogation begins with the ANBU, "Please cooperate, and make the process a little easier for the three of us," he says.

"How is my sister doing?" The puppet user answers with a query of his own.

The man at the desk interrupts, "Her bone fractures reappeared during your group's capture?" The man said, more as a statement then a question.

The ANBU answers an affirmative for the sibling's question. "Kankurou-kun, was it?" He receives a nod, "she was taken to the hospital by two members of the squad, leaving another member and I to escort you and the other member of your team, Sabaku no Gaara, here for interrogation. One of the two sent with Temari-san reported back recently to claim that the POW's condition was stablilized. Being in the middle of a war, there are many who still need emergency medical attention. She will be receiving the final treatment for her fractures tomorrow morning. Then she will come to these quarters for her interrogation."

"Alright. I'll cooperate." True to his word, Kankurou waits calmly in the chair. 'At least its better than the alternative. Besides, there's nothing they can ask me about the plans.'

"ANBU-san, you may leave. I will not require your assistance."

The ANBU turns and sets Kankurou's record on the table, "Hai, Ibiki-san," and exits.

"So, I hear you three are the Kazekage's children," Morino Ibiki starts.

------

Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke reach Sakura's house. Naruto knocks thrice on the door, and Sakura's mom appears, exhausted from recent events. Worried, she takes her only child and examines her half-conscious state. Naruto assures her that all Sakura needs is some sleep. After a thank-you from Sakura's mom, the two leave. At the next fork, the two travel their separate streets home.

Sakura becomes too drowsy to walk when she and her mom enter the house and leans on her mom. Her mom carries her up the stairs, down the hall, and through the second door on the left. Sakura, already passed out, is slipped into bed. The mother hears a familiar growl. She retreats to the kitchen and returns with a meal prepared for Sakura's wake.

------

(1)At noon, Temari is released from Konoha's hospital. She is accompanied to her next destination by four ANBU, encompassing her. On her way, she notices the damaged architecture: shops, housing, etc. Regret grips her heart. 'After the long-awaited treaty, Suna and Konoha were able to live in peace for a short period of time. There must have been a diplomatic way to solve our problem,' she thinks grimly.

"Have a seat, Temari-san," Morino Ibiki requests upon her arrival.

"Yes, sir." Temari humbly sits, gripping the seat in her analytical state.

"You formally address your enemy?" Ibiki asks, secretly amused, though expressionless.

"I do not wish to be your enemy," she says sternly.

"Then why has Suna started this war?" Ibiki raises a brow.

"Suna felt trapped. They didn't think diplomacy would restore their dying economy."

Ibiki catches the clue, "And you did?"

"If diplomacy can't restore our economy, then it can at least stabilize it to be fairly prosperous."

"That, kunoichi, is merely a hypothesis. _Do you know_ _why_ your country started a war?" Ibiki emphasizes.

"Because it is not a fact that peaceful negotiation would work, so the Kazekage felt compelled to start a war. What? Did you expect another reason to slip out of my mouth?"

Ibiki chuckles, "You caught me. For a genin, you don't run your mouth so easily."

"And for an interrogator, sir, you do not ask enough questions," she pauses. They lock eyes and Temari feels suspiciously at ease, "You are talking to me as if we are diplomats. In that scenario, someone like me would be willing to give information."

"Yet, you will not."

"It does not matter. You will not believe me unless you break my will. To be completely honest, I tried not to be too willing or unwilling."

"Tried?"

"I remember the first test. There is no way I'll be able to match you in a mental battle," she says, and Ibiki smirks. "Your emotions are fake, but I am completely honest; I wish to cooperate. That is all I will say on that matter."

After a brief pause, Ibiki asks the next question, "is it true you are the Kazekage's daughter?"

"Yes. You'd get that answer out of me soon enough. It's not like it matters. Did Kankurou struggle with that one?"

Ibiki could honestly show that he was bored of this interrogation. "Yes. He did." He also felt that even though he could get anything out of her, it would be worthless. Her interrogation was looking more miniscule in importance with every passing minute.

"I heard about the mishap on your way here. You abruptly obtained injures during your escort here; fractures damaged most of the right side of your body."

Temari explains the incident, "I wasn't healed properly."

"Yes. Suna has poor medics."

"Aha, Morino-san trusts that I will give him the correct answer," she says as Ibiki smirks. "The girl was in fact a Konoha-nin, but she only had 30 days to practice."

"I'll look into it from there. Now, do you fear going back to Suna? They'd think you a traitor."

"Right now they would, but there are pieces to this puzzle missing."

"Go on."

"The alliance with Otogakure was too easy. I think they planned it. Also, that suspicion is shared by my brothers and me. It is why they are cooperating." 'They could care less about intelligent conversation,' she scoffs internally. "I believe that we could have abandoned the plan at any time. Even during its initiation, someone could have been accepting of negotiation."

"Yes," Ibiki glances at the background information.

_Sabaku no Temari_

_Rank: Genin…_

…_Cell members: Sabaku no Gaara…_

"I am through with your interrogation. You will be taken to a cell with your siblings and wait there until relocated by a volunteer kunoichi. You then be put under house arrest separate from your brothers until further notice."

"What will happen to Konoha and Suna?"

"We will do what we believe the deceased Sandaime Hokage would will us to do."

------

Later that night, Sakura lay awake in her bed. She had noticed the umeboshi (esp. sour pickled plums) that her mom had set on her nightstand. Not in the presence of others, she swallowed it greedily along with the white rice and finished the meal off with the cup of green tea. After that, Sakura had tried to fall asleep, but her mind would not leave consciousness. Yet, ironically, she was too tired to get up. 'Must be from all the pills,' she assumed. So she lay there on her bed. She would switch her position every now and then.

When dawn finally approached (I assume she would hum, at least do_ something_, to pass the time) she had regained enough energy to journey to the kitchen. There she fished into the refrigerator for more of her mom's umeboshi and scooped some rice out of the cooker, and cast them into the same bowl. She then dug into the cabinet for her mother's sleeping pills. 'It couldn't hurt,' she reasoned, looking at the label. She took the pill with one of the sour plums and retreated up the stairs.

Shortly after eight hours of peaceful sleep, Sakura awakes. She decides she should shower. When she rose from her bed, however, her legs started trembling. 'Must be another after-effect,' she notices as she brings her hands up to eye-level. 'My hands are shaking as well.' She makes her way slowly towards the bathroom. During that time, she discovers that her whole body aches from one occurrence or another. 'If I soak in the hot water my body will feel much better,' as she says it, another idea occurs to her. She ties her hair into a messy ponytail and washes her body all under five dedicated minutes.

Returning to her room, Sakura kneels in front of her nightstand and pulls out a roll of adhesive bandages. She wraps her limbs and notices that she resembles both Ino and Lee in her mummified state. Next, she pulls out her new outfit, and sees that the skirt is undamaged and decides to wear it along with black underpants that cut off above the knees. Reaching into her drawer, which is a few feet to the side of her bed, she grabs a sleeveless red, Chinese-style shirt (what she wears in part two) and throws it on. Lastly, she grabs the roll of bandages and a wad of her allowance money, putting both in her old kunai pouch, which is on her dresser. She hooks the pouch onto her skirt as she descends the stairs to the phone in the kitchen. Sakura calls Ino, but no one answers so she leaves a message. 'I guess I might have to go by myself then,' she decides half-heartedly.

After walking through five of the busy streets, Sakura hears someone call her name in the distance. Upon further inspection, she realizes its Naruto. Along with Naruto came an extremely annoyed Uchiha. "Naruto! Stop dragging Sasuke!" She exclaims. "Oh, hi Sasuke! Good morning—er, afternoon!" She says cheerfully. Sasuke and Naruto raise their eyebrows. Sakura says she'll explain after getting something to eat and they walk over to the dango shop.

They sit at a booth. Sakura gets her own side. She orders two plates of dumplings and Naruto orders one. Sasuke doesn't order, but explains that Naruto and he had already been to Ichiraku ramen for lunch.

---

"Um, yeah, I woke up about an hour ago," she says, seeing that the clock on the wall read 3:00.

"Kakashi-sensei would be proud," Naruto adds, grinning.

"Its not my fault I couldn't sleep well last night."

"Gomen, Sakura-chan. I didn't know you were injured that bad. You hide it too well."

"The bandages aren't for show," she retorts a little too harshly, "but people like Ino-pig can contradict that statement."

"What'd you call me, Forehead?"

"Well, looks like the pig finally arrives." Sakura says with a smirk.

"Ne, Sakura-chan, what's Ino doing here?" Naruto inquires.

"I invited her," Sakura says bluntly. Sakura explains that they used to be childhood friends.

"Sakura was always getting picked on so I helped her out. If it weren't for me, she'd still be known as Sakura the Crybaby!"

Sakura groans, "Why did you have to say that?"

"Oh, don't give me that face…hey, how are you recovering? I figured out last night that taking all those pills must have had side effects."

Sakura proceeds to tell Ino about how she abused the pills. "The first wave was a momentary paralysis that hit me when I was fighting Gaara. The second wave made me have a restless sleep. I guess the third is stressed muscles and aches. I'll probably feel this way until tomorrow," she says and gives a false laugh, "That'll teach me to believe in my own ability."

---

The group spent a couple more minutes catching up on details of the invasion. They were happy to know that over 90 percent of the villagers survived the invasion. Sadly, most of those who died were the top shinobi of the village, the ANBU and jounins and even a few chuunin. They sacrificed theirselves in order for the evacuation plan to work. Civilian casualties were incredibly low. The four also learned that the beloved Hokage had passed away, and his funeral would be tomorrow.

------

Ino and Sakura step out of the bath house, wrapped in the pink, fluffy towels provided. "Need help?" Ino asks.

"Yes, they wouldn't allow me to enter bandaged. Now I feel so clumsy."

Sakura wades in the pool as Ino finds a shallow place to sit. "It's a miracle this place did not suffer much damage."

"The owner did her best to fix it up when she returned from the great hiding place. She said kunoichi like you would need a good soak."

The kunoichi take turns staying in and out of the pool. They talk about everything and anything to catch up on the years wasted on childish rivalry. Hours pass and the stars now sprinkle the sky.

"Say, Forehead…you know how Hokage-sama passed away…well…who do you suppose will be chosen as the new leader?"

"I don't think there are any definite candidates, but the council will probably select a few ANBU to fill in for the time being."

"This doesn't sound good."

Sakura is silent for a moment. "Do you think Tsunade-san could be strong enough to become Hokage?" She asks. They both look at eachother, each realizing how ludicrous the idea is.

"Yeah, it's too bad she isn't from Konoha…or even a kunoichi. I wonder what made her a wanderer…"

"_Is this how Tsunade's apprentice fights?" _

"What was that, Sakura?"

"That's what Gaara said. Is there more to Tsunade-san then we believed?"

"I'm not sure. He could have just been spying on you. We already know she called you her apprentice."

"But he also said I would 'shun her name.'"

"Hmm…maybe she's a missing-nin from Suna. He could have heard of her if she was famous back in Sunagakure." (2) Ino crosses her arms over the side of a rock and lays on them, gloomily wishing for that impossibility.

"I guess you're right." Sakura leans back against the side of another. She gazes over the bamboo curtain shooting out of the ground to the mountain range in the back ground. She studies the carved faces on the rocks surface and reaches dreamily towards them. "Godaime Hokage Tsunade-sama," she muses.

------

(1) My Inner Self wanted to turn Temari's interrogation into a comedy, but my best judgment (amazingly enough) was able to prevail.

(2) Oh, the abundance of irony!

Naruto: Huh? A bun dance? Where?! (He searches.)

Please review!


	17. Sanguine, O Brother

The Alternate Path

By Inner Self

Chapter XVII: Sanguine, O Brother

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, Gaara, Itachi, Temari,…Temari's itachi…

I drew a sakuITA just to please one of my fans. Sorry this is not a sakuITA. I offer instead a picture; may it last longer.

Who knows where I got the title from?? anyone???

Like the random facts?

---Umeboshi: a sour and salty Japanese plum; surprisingly good for your health; eaten commonly with white rice; Sakura's favorite dish---

Sakura awoke with a start. "I thought I heard the…" but before she could finish her verbal thought, the banging on the entrance door commenced. Thoroughly annoyed, she looked at the clock, which read 9:00am (she felt like sleeping in today). It was good that her mother was not there to hear the banging and hollering or she would not have restrained herself...

As Sakura approached, flying down the stairs, wearing the required amount of clothing in the summer heat, the voice grew clearer. So clear, she was able to drop her suspicion of an urgent message to an insufferable delinquent. Her eyes narrowed as she threw the door open, the wind brushing against her tank top and black shorts and her braless figure underneath, but they widened abruptly at who she saw. Uncharacteristically, she stuttered, "Wh—Eh?! Sa-Sa-Sa…!" Mean while, Inner Sakura ran around in the attic, pulling her hair and face at irregular intervals, screaming at the impossibilities ("You mean not probable").

Hastily, Sasuke interrogated her as to if Naruto was there or if she had seen him. She recovered and apologized.

"Sorry, I don't kno…" As soon as the most important half of her sentence left her, Sasuke dashed off to look elsewhere for the dobe.

Knowing something wasn't right, Sakura rushed back up the stairs, and into her room. She fastened a bra under her red tank and equipped her medic skirt at the waist. She grabbed her shoes and slipped each on one-by-one as she race out of the house (down the stairs mind you).

Sasuke had shot off through the route leading to the market. Bettering her chances of tracking him, Sakura flipped backwards onto the wall above the entrance of her house and proceeded to kick off from there onto the roof of the neighbor's house that was directly across from hers.

Leaping over the small gaps from one to the next, Sakura searched for the fastest moving boy on the grounds below. His movements were so swift that it took much of the trip throughout the hidden village for Sakura to merely reach within ten yards of him, even with him stopping to make inquiries. He approached the Ichiraku ramen stand and seemed to receive exceptional news on his comrade's whereabouts. Sakura slowed down to approach him when he took off in a shockingly great burst of speed for his mentally marked destination. That was when Sakura lost track of him.

Sakura asked the man who owned Ichiraku what he had told her first love. His string of sentences seemed agonizingly slow. With a quick 'thank-you', Sakura raced off into the direction Sasuke had. She wished she could go faster, but decided that wasting a pill on a race was a foolish idea and persevered in her dash towards Tanba Town (Yeah, I guessed; I forgot its name). She assured herself that if Naruto was there and Sasuke found him, they would stay put long enough for her to arrive. That or Sasuke would to the searching and she would mindlessly follow, focusing on watching his back. (1)

------

The latter idea came into being the most reasonable approach towards her situation. Sakura had no idea where Naruto was, let alone the boy who she was trying to keep track of previously. So whenever she saw a glimpse of his presence in the crowds below, she would follow his movements with her eyes. The Ichiraku owner also mentioned that Naruto was taking a trip with some elder man, and that they would be gone for a while. They would, obviously, need a place to stay at night. Thus, it was easier to pinpoint the dashing blur if Sakura lost him; just scan the area's inns. Everytime Sasuke moved to another street, she would hop take the short cut and be ready to follow yet again by sight.

He came to one hotel and didn't come out for a long period of time. Sakura thought "This is it!" and raced off to rendezvous with her teammate. She was about to enter the inn when he flew out of the doorway in the utmost haste, so much that he had knocked her down, let alone did not even recognize her! When she recovered from her shock and her fall, Sakura proceeded to the top of the inn. There she searched for the blurred body, but to no avail. Sasuke must have run in to another hotel, but to which, Sakura had no clue! She waited past his usual searching period and decided he had found another lead, maybe even the correct one. Even though he knew where Naruto was, she did not know where either of them was. She dropped down from the roof and started her own search. If she was lucky, with how quickly he disappeared into his next destination, he would be on the same street. There were five more places to check on this road in Tanba Town….

------

"Shannaro!" Sakura screamed at the fourth stop. A tall man with white hair, a short boy with yellow hair, and an (emo boy, jk) average sized boy with black hair had all come through the place at one point in time or another.

"Now, as I tried to tell the _young man_," the man said politely, yet you could tell he was infuriated, "You have to make an appointment with the guests at this hotel."

Sakura eyes lit up maliciously. "Do you know who I am?" She asked.

The man shook his head.

"I am a fortune teller…Do you know what I see…?" (2)

------

After dealing with the man behind the desk, Sakura dashed off to the stairs. She proceeded to ascend the directed number of floors before hearing the murmer of voices. With as much guile as she could muster, Sakura sneaked up the rest of the stairs and pressed her back firmly against the wall. She inched over to the side as she finally registered one voice as Sasuke's. Then the loud unmistakable voice of Naruto followed.

"…**I am the only one who can kill him!!!" **Sakura could make out these words as an unmistakable chirping noise erupted. She saw the tip of the Chidori before Sasuke rushed at his foe. Sakura heard an explosion that could rival any that she could produce.

'**Way to go, Sasuke!!!'** She was about to cheer, but she stopped immediately as she heard the distinct snapping of bone. She peaked around the corner. The Chidori had not fazed the cloaked man as he directed his enemy's attack at the wall. Sasuke's wrist had been broken in one movement it seemed, and was barely remaining attached to the arm. The cloaked figure continued the beating by kicking Sasuke in the stomach with his knee. Sasuke still struggled to remain standing and his foe decided to send two side kicks to Sasuke, one at Sasuke's leg and the other at his rib cage.

The force of the second blow knocked him into the wall opposite from where Sakura was taking cover. His back landed first, and he coughed up a bit of blood. He was shocked for a second, but then started to get up and found it excruciatingly painful. His shin was bleeding, fractured in many places. Several of his ribs had broken, and a few others had cracked. (By the way, Sakura is aware of all the injuries I am describing.)

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura, without thinking, rushed over to his side. She placed her palms on his chest and began to strengthen his fractured ribs, to keep his cage from collapsing. The two cloaked figures, now that she noticed, had turned from Naruto. The taller one mocked her attempts to help her fellow leaf ninja, but the shorter one (lol) watched and made sure she was thouroughly uncomfortable.

After the few _gracious_ seconds he allowed her to help her teammate, he ordered, "Get up. I won't allow you to prolong this battle by reviving him."

Sasuke looked at Sakura with a glint of fear in his eyes. She stood and looked directly into his eyes (3). "You are too powerful for me to fight," she said, shaking slightly and lowering her gaze to his mouth. "Naruto, run when you have the chance." She can hear him say something like 'What do you think I was doing before you two showed up!?'

She gets a dangerous look in her eyes and brings herself to meet his once more. "Do you think people would come running at another hole in the wall?"

With that said, she thrusts her fist into the wall and takes the corner with it. "You'll need all the time you can get to escape the leaf!"

"Such bravado." She hears as he vanishes with a flicker, reappearing in front of her to wrap an arm around her neck and shoulders. "I could have killed you long ago when if I wanted." Without wasting a moment, he takes her arm and shoves it up and against her back, throwing her breaking it below the elbow and throwing her sholder out of place. She screams as he sweeps one of his legs between hers. She falls to the floor and grabs her arm to cradle it. The shock is over and tears have already begun to streak her face.

He asks, "Do you know why it is best to take out the medic-nin first?"

She does not answer, lost in the agonizing pain, but able to at least listen. She turns her tear streaked face towards him.

"They are a nuisance. They bring back weaklings who should have died long ago, and all of their efforts die in vain."

She replies hoarsely, "then why would you bother?"

Itachi obviously did not like her retort, for he thrust a knife hand (thumb up, hits with other side) into the bone in the upper part of her other arm. Kneeling next to her, Itachi muffles her cry as he grabs her by the throat and slams her into the wall next to where Sasuke currently was watching helplessly. Itachi stepped on one of Sasuke's hands to prevent his interfering.

Making sure its visible to Sasuke, Itachi leans in and rests his cheek on Sakura's as he whispers, "Medics are weakest on the battlefield. I'm going to make you regret coming here."

And with that he does the unexpected. Tilting his head, he presses his lips to the side of hers. Then moves again and crushes his lips onto hers, thrusting his tongue into hers. Before Inner Sakura can begin to enjoy it, he bites through her lower lip. He moves his tongue across her wound, and then releases her bottom lip. The blood trickles through it with no visible end. Moving the hand on her neck to grip her dislocated shoulder, Itachi then places his bloodied lips upon her neck and kisses it. He licks it. He sucks on it. He repeats the actions more passionately--no--hungrily until he gets a whimper out of the girl. He presses his body against hers and moves his mouth to her ear once more. She can feel his devilish grin. With one last swipe of his experienced tongue he bares his teeth and sinks them into her supple flesh. He spits something onto the ground, and releases her. Sakura vainly wishes she had something to press against her neck as the blood leaves her, but the pain is too unbearable to move.

Sakura cannot feel anything but pain. She would be screaming if she hadn't gone beyond that level of pain. She was about to pass out when she heard a horrifying scream emanating from the body beside her. This brought her back to her senses and she realized her love for him and her other comrade. She cried pathetically as she tried to move her only working limb. With all the chakra she could gather, which I can say was not much in her condition, she lifted her leg a few inches and stamped her foot into the floor.

Directing the blast at the taller one as not to hurt Sasuke, in the end she came up a few feet short. She could discreetly hear another boom. Help must have arrived. Exhaustion racked her body as she slipped into sub conscience. She fell to the side. The last thing she saw was a pair of cold-blooded sanguine eyes, not belonging to one of innocence, not belonging to Sasuke.

------

(1) Yeah, we know where that comes from. She's not actually keeping up with his break-neck-and-call-a-medic speed. It's more...metaphorical...? (Is that the correct word?)

(2) Who can answer this correctly? Who is she impersonating and stealing words?

(3) Just for those who miss the 'Itachi' explanation, he didn't want to waste Mangekyou on her.

Well, it only spans five pages, but I believe it is packed full of the usual amount of words. Sorry I've been so busy. Hey, guess what? I'm gonna be starting another ff soon! I'll be working this one and the other from now on until they are done (It's about the Uchihas who are still alive and a pink-haired carrier of an evil fire god, the Phoenix!).

So please spill your guts to me in a review, flaming included (I think I'll get some "OMG, where the hell have you been"s, which will then follow with the actual review.)

I really am sorry. I would update but I have to use up tomorrow to read and report on a book that will complete my absurd list of things to do for my summer assignments. Then, Thursday, I will be leaving town, again, and return by Monday (at least it isn't for 16 days this time….by the way, I was in a third world country so I COULD NOT update!!)

SORRY!!! PLEASE REVIEW!!!


	18. The Search Is Over

The Alternate Path

By Inner Self

Chapter XVIII: The Search is Over

I do not own Naruto or the character guest staring in this chapter.

Whoever knows where last chapter's title came from gets a red velvet cake!

(I am getting tired of saving these with roman numerals.)

I. AM. DONE!!! The last week of summer is mine! Expect this on today or next Monday!! (I'll be gone again, lol….its not that funny, is it?)

I'd like to take this time to thank **Rakero-chan, xokatherine229, pinkcherryblossen225, mittelan, and the anonny, "charms", for reviewing!! I love you guys!! (You have to review to earn my love….JUST KIDDING!! I LUV Y'ALL!! But seriously, please review ).**

---No, Sakura's injuries won't deform her!---

A pink haired kunoichi lies in a sea of emptiness. She can breathe but her surroundings are beyond surreal. 'Am I dreaming?' She wonders. She moves her arm a little in her state of unconsciousness, but the only one in the position to witness the act is busy with another task at hand…

…She opens her eyes slowly in a dazed confusion. She notices she is in a white metal structure with a light overhead and water pouring out of the wall ahead of her. She sees that she somehow ended up in a bathtub in her underwear and plastic clothing, but that's not all she notices. She feels masculine hands feeling up and down her back!

"Gyah!" In a matter of seconds, the whole Xth story thinks the sound ninja were invading again. Sakura had thrown the man into a wall, and his trip ended with him flying into the wall on the opposite side of the hallway. **'Sure he was cute, but he's no Sasuke or anything…' **She thinks with a mild distaste and justified anger.

"Huh?" Sakura has just realized that the hallway was on the other side of the freshly non-existent wall. She lets out another shriek ("People walk through those!") before grabbing the towel on the side of the tub and crawling out and clumsily moving her legs. She sees a dry hospital gown folded on the toilet seat with fresh short black knickers and grabs those too.

Now in her room, Sakura reaches for the doorknob and slams the door shut. She can hear the people now gathering in the hall. Before someone walked in as to ask what the hell happened, Sakura wasted no time in dressing out of her wet clothes into the same kind of indecent garments. "At least I won't catch a cold."

Leaving her discarded garments with a puddle surrounding them on the floor, Sakura puts on the top on, which happened to at least be made of cloth this time. She finds a dry place to put on the bottoms. Looking up, Sakura sees an unoccupied bed and assumes it is hers. She climbs into it before waiting a few more seconds until, as she expected, two flustered nurses, this time female, came into the room.

The first looks briefly at the clipboard in her hands. "Haruno-san, are you aware that one of the employees suffered a minor concussion when you knocked him unconscious?"

"Well, if he went through a wall, I suspect he would. Who gave you your medical training?" She says sarcastically. "Why was a male nurse washing me…wait, why were you washing me? How long have I been here?" Sakura asks a little confused.

The door opens again. A third nurse, another lady, walks in and says kindly with a hint of amazement, "Haruno Sakura-san, I am glad you are awake. I am Kyoko Mogami. I have been taking care of you during your hospitalization," She turns for a moment to tell the other two to go prepare another room. "I am sorry you were so rudely awakened, yet, glad that you are out of your comatose state. We are short on help. I was needed in the emergency room all of today so I thought the other patient's nurse could fill in this one time."

Sakura blushes slightly, now knowing that before she was not in any real danger.

The nurse leans in, using her clipboard to cover the next words said, "I'm sure you would have liked it under any other circumstances." Though Kyoko says so devilishly, she has no idea what it means and is only reading innocently from the Sakura's blush darkens. Kyoko takes Sakura's bracers from the night stand and secures them onto Sakura's redamaged injuries. "I swear, this will be a set back for your recovery." Kyoko tells her that she is going to roll Sakura over to the x-ray room and assess the damage. Meanwhile, the new room would be prepared.

Kyoko lay the lead blanket over Sakura who was lying on the table. She took the machine over each of the three healing limbs and clicked the button connected to it twice. High whispers were heard as she worked in the back of the room. The whispers became a little higher as she returned with the scans.

Sakura sat up and Kyoko pulled up a chair next to her. She started to hand the scans over to her after explaining each when someone knocked on the door. Kyoko opened the door to see an elated scrub and a jubilant doctor behind her power walking down the corridor.

"Have you heard? Jiraiya-sama returned yesterday! He brought back the Legendary Kunoichi! Do you know how much this will boost Konoha's medical advancements?!"

The other looked puzzled for a moment before stuttering, "Tsunade-hime is here? She's really back?!"

Sakura mentally gasped, 'Tsunade was from Konoha? Shichou was a konoha-nin?'

Another scrub came in from the corridor and added, "Not only is she in Konoha, she's in the recovery section of this very hospital!"

Sakura's heart leaped, but she willed it down. She would meet her master again in time. She finished reviewing the scans with Kyoko. Sakura's strong pain medications and short-lasted shot of adrenaline kept her from noticing, but she had set back progress to one of her leg fractures and to her sprained joints in her arms. To cheer up Sakura, which was not necessary, Kyoko reassured her that at least nothing was completely broken. She could be further down in the hole than she was.

Sakura asked for a copy of her scans but Kyoko laughed, misunderstanding. "If you want to learn about the body, you should look to a medical book. I just wish I could trade you my knowledge for your chakra control. You'll become a medic sooner or later." Kyoko patted Sakura on the back, then sat her back into the wheelchair.

"I saw you fight at the chuunin exams. You should try out for the medic squads next year!"

"Actually, I thought it would be best if I took care of my teammates on missions. Squads won't always arrive on time. That's why we should split up the medics to every team."

"Oh," was all Kyoko said. She was quite pleased with this idea. Still she treated Sakura like a patient and kindly turned her away from the idea of obtaining copies, which was quite illegal. Inner Sakura fumed at the loss of the forbidden knowledge. **'Fear not Sakura, for I have them memorized!!! We will not be stuck in this hospital forever!' **

------

Kyoko puts a curtain up while she helps Sakura into a white cloth yukata. She helps Sakura get settled into bed and then dismisses herself. Sakura was about to open the book Kyoko left with her when she heard a "Good morning."

She looked over at the other bed. "Sasuke-kun! You're awake! I was afraid your condition was worse than mine. Oh, and its afternoon right now. I think we've been her for a week or so."

He looks crestfallen the whole time he speaks. He gives the impression that he is visiting two worlds at once. "I was doing worse than you. Tsunade healed me."

"Ah! That's wonderful" **'How come he got to meet her before me?!'**

"I saw her leave as I woke up. I thought she would look older."

'**Well, I guess we can feel a bit better.'** Sasuke turned to face the window. Sakura stared at him for a moment longer then reluctantly returned to her text. She could ask him on a date later! Like either of them were in good condition. She could feel sleep grabbing at her as she read. She fell to her dreams less than half an hour later as the sky darkened. Little did she know that the distraught Uchiha turned his head to watch her, his eyes searching for the hidden spot on her neck, and then resting on the mark below her lips.

------

Sakura wakes the next morning earlier than usual thanks to her early bedtime. From six to seven, she skimmed though the textbook and took a few minutes more than she wanted to frustratingly redraw her fractures in pencil on one of the figures.

She spent the next minutes gathering chakra. It was slower than usual with her networks not in their usual condition. Her injured hands would be healing themselves first. She took off her wrist bracers. Meanwhile, the Uchiha next to her would quietly activate his Sharingan to better perceive her work.

Sakura spent twenty minutes with the difficult task of healing her hands, her most important medical tools. The pain increased the faster she tried to work, but Sakura endured it. She aligned the bones in the first half and strengthened them in the next. Taking one of her pain pills, Sakura strengthened the stressed joints around her elbow and shoulder and then proceeded to fall asleep for two hours.

When she woke, Sakura flexed her fingers and rotated her healed joints. She was pleased with her work and that the pain had nearly ceased. She decided to call a nurse and request a big breakfast. Afterwards, she set to work on her leg. Again Sasuke quietly activated his Sharingan.

To avoid the temptation of an overdose, she stowed the pain pills in the bottommost drawer of her night table. Sakura slipped off the covers and slid her robe up to her knees. She raised her undamaged leg to her and leaned towards the other one. She placed both hand on the knee and took some time strengthening it. Then, she switched the positions of the legs and placed her palms on her shin. It took a whole hour to seal the fractured sites. Again, she fell asleep to quicken any remaining healing processes.

------

"Sasuke-kun, may I heal your wounds too?" Sakura commented as they ate lunch in almost silence.

As he finishes, he nods and puts his plate on the night table. Sakura gets up and walks over, hesitantly, to sit on the edge of his bed. She has a momentary though of telling him its necessary to slip off the top of his yukata, but scolds herself for, yet again, wanting to take advantage of him when he's injured. (A/N: what an unusual predicament.)

Blushing, Sakura looks down as she places her palms on his chest. After an hour at work, Sakura tilts her head to the side as she finishes her work on one of his lower ribs. Her hair is pushed away from her neck by gravity.

With her hair out of the way, Sasuke is able to see perfectly the whitening scar left by his brother; he was reminded of what he did to her: the ways he touched her. It was one more reason his brother gave him to hate him.

Sakura did not notice the trance Sasuke was in and proceeded to heal Sasuke's leg. When done, she looked up to Sasuke to announce her work was completed. Sasuke was once again gazing out the window. Sakura reluctantly returned to her bed. As she pulled the covers over herself, Sasuke spoke, still staring off into the sky, "Your work isn't finished. What about your scars?"

"My…What…?" Sakura asked, subconsciously not wanting to remember.

"The scar on your neck…the scar below your lips…he gave them to you." The more he said, the angrier he got. Sasuke clenched his fists, digging his nails into them.

Once Sakura pressed her fingers to her lower neck and upper collar, the event of one week prior seemed to invade her thoughts…_her hand trembled as it fell to her side…_

…his deep, dark voice. His cold-blooded eyes only amplified his words…_she involuntarily searched for something to hold onto for the world was spinning…_

…His whole presence was commanding and frightening. She remembered the moment when he invaded her mouth: she truly believed that he had stolen her body, that it no longer was hers…_as she gripped it, Sasuke was the only one to hear it crack under her fingers and break…_ She felt so weak it was sickening.

"Sakura," he called out. It took her a second, but she came back to him. She turned to him with eyes filled with receding tears. "It's okay. It will be okay. After all," she tries to say this last part convincingly, "you'll be there to protect me like when we fought Sabaku no Gaara, right?"

Sasuke frowns with self-loathing stringing his thoughts: It was not he who rescued her from Gaara. It was Naruto, the one who had become so powerful in so little time; the one _kept _growing while he stood at a wall in his path. _Why are you so weak? _Was this really happening? Would he meet his limit while Naruto and Sakura kept up the search for theirs?

No. That was not possible. He merely needed more training. He needed to intensify his training. Now that Naruto and Sakura were getting stronger, he would be able to practice on tougher opponents.

------

Sakura and Sasuke were checked out the following morning. Kyoko appeared shocked at first, but then signed the release papers. She wished Sakura luck with her training and set herself back to work. Sakura and Sasuke changed one after the other in the bathroom before setting out of the hospital.

Sasuke, still alert for future attacks from remaining sound ninja or sand ninja or brother ninja decided it would be best to walk in the same direction and at the same speed as Sakura. Though he was technically walking her home, he would never say so aloud. (Still, Inner Sakura got the idea and thrust her fist heartily into the air.)

Passing by the Hokage Tower, Sakura and Sasuke heard the familiar yell of a certain blond dobe. He and Kakashi were barely visible upon the first floor's outer corridor. They seemed to be talking with two others who were surrounded by ANBU guards. Sakura started up the stairwell leading up to the floor, and for some reason, Sasuke came as well. Once she turned the corner to the hallway which her two other teammates occupied, she spotted the familiar blond lady who she respected deeply.

Her eyes lit up and her maturity flew out the window as she ran wildly down the corridor. Her assertive and unpredictable nature put the guards into defensive positions, but they became puzzled at her exclamation of "Tsunade-sama! Shishoooou!" They became altogether confused when Tsunade welcomed the crazy girl with open arms and administered a (for a normal person, which Sakura wasn't) bone-crushing hug. (A/N: Although the Japanese aren't known to be so familiar just go with it.)

When released from the embrace, Sakura held on to her master at below the elbows, assuring herself of the reunion. "Shishou, you're back! How long did it take you to lose the debt collectors?!" Sakura exclaimed happily.

Tsunade felt like rubbing the bridge of her nose in embarassment, but settled for scrunching it up a little and overlooking the question. "After a long journey, I have returned with Jiraiya, but I will not leave Konoha again in the same manner," she promises with her usual smile. Grinning enthusiastically, she announces, "Sakura, you're looking at Konoha's next Hokage!"

------

Yays!! I made it to my self-proclaimed deadline!!

Well? How was it? I never get a fair idea of how its going. Please people, tell me what you think (grammar mistakes-wise too)! Don't make me unleash my inner self now.

**Too late…MUHAHA!! I'm FREE!!! KUKUKU….** _BAM!!_ Seriously, it would be nice if I got some reviews. It took me forever to figure out that the first chapter was seriously screwed up. I used to have this in the SAKUGAA pairing so is anybody wondering what happened to him?

Well, just as a reminder, this is a SASUxSAKUxGAA fanfiction, but I ran out of main character slots. FYI: I think I have two more chapters (main events) until the climax.

R&R.


	19. The RunAround: Last Mission! Intro

The Alternate Path

By Inner Self

Chapter XIX: The Run-Around: Into to "Last Mission!"

I had a side thought while watching Shippuden…sugoi!! (Awesome!) But nevertheless, it will replace the last mission in the anime because that one was crap…ok, not really, but this one's better because Sakura gets to dish out a better ass-kicking. Look forward to me drawing her in a boxing match setting!! (Against who?...I guess I'll leave that up to the reviewers!! ;p)

--

"Ehhh?!" Sakura's eyes bulge out of their sockets. A barely audible muttering of 'Dattebayo' could be heard coming from her orange-and-blue clad ninja frie—comrade.

She looks to her sensei who nods as his visible eye turns up, though suppressing an intense puzzlement.

"Shishou…" Sakura starts, barely comprehending what was happening. To think that not only was her master back, but that the same master was to become the next leader of the greatest hidden village of all the continents…At the same moment, it was amazingly wonderful and slightly depressing.

"Sakura, you need to go rest. You seem to have just recently been released from the hospital. In the meantime, I will prepare for my inauguration," says Tsunade with her usual, assuring, smirk-like smile.

"Hai," Sakura utters a response half-heartedly and descends the building, flanked by her three comrades.

--

Same as the last girls' night out, Sakura had called Ino and asked her to accompany her to the hot springs. They went after Sakura had acquired a few hours of rest. Already with stars and city lights awakening, the two started to chat as girls do.

Sakura was quietly blowing bubbles in the water, deep in thought. Ino turned to her and smiled, eyes shimmering with a layer of puzzlement.

"Do you see the irony of it too, Sakura-chan?" She asks.

Sakura is waltzes out of her ponderings. "W-what…?"

_She studies the carved faces on the rocks surface and reaches dreamily towards them. "Godaime Hokage, Tsunade-sama," she muses._

"Last time we were here, we were talking about the same amazing person."

"I would have never thought to get my hopes up. I mean, she was a wonderful fighter but to think that she was at the Hokage-level?" Sakura lets out another sigh.

Ino turns her head curiously to the side. "And just what was that sigh about, eh, forehead?"

"Well, to be honest, I didn't expect to have found such a skilled teacher. I thought that I had it in me to be a great kunoichi when all I had was a better guidance than the others…"

"Forehead," Ino shakes her head and sympathetically reprimands her friend, "Are you saying that you believe you improved so much only because you had a better teacher than all the others?"

Before Sakura can sigh once more, Ino comes over and 'whaps' her on the top of the head. "Sakura no baka! Tsunade-sama would not have picked anybody! She's not like Iruka-sensei. She doesn't have to take you on as her student. Not only that, but she called you her apprentice! There is no way she didn't intentionally pluck you from the field!

"…Besides the fact that I spilled my guts out to a mere traveler that day? She could have pitied me." Sakura looks down at the water again and resumes blowing bubbles.

"Ugh!! Where'd all that confidence go that I shoved into you? My work is in vain!" She whines, barely keeping herself from pulling her fabulous blonde strands from her head. Exasperated, Ino huffs and points a finger at Sakura, who calmly and emotionlessly looks at her. "If you really doubt your abilities, go and ask her yourself!"

"Alright, it's not like the outcome wouldn't be understandable." (A/N: Weird calm aura round the pink-head, ey? Guess it comes from her training. Or…is it because she feels a little guilty about 'cheating.')

--

Sakura headed down to her cell's training field. Upon approaching, Sakura was met with a sight that she would never soon forget. Holy effing G (Lord please forgive me!) Kakashi was there!! (A/N: GYAH!! Apocalypse! No seriously…)

"Wh-wh-wh-" Sakura could only stumble.

"Yeah, about the cats, I decided to come early to avoid them. And yesterday I went to counseling to repair my road of life. Is it not great that I was able to be early?"

Naruto shows up out of nowhere to join Sakura in releasing pent-up rage: "LIAR!"

Sasuke asks, "So Kakashi, why are you here?"

"Am I not suppose to be?"

"…"

"Well, it turns out the Soon-to-Be-Hokage-sama wanted to see us to discuss a few things."

--

Sakura could barely contain her nerves. After finishing the meeting in Tsunade's soon-to-be-workroom, she would stay behind to thank her short-lived master. Her generosity and assistance with her month-long training was the biggest favor anyone had ever done for her.

"I have received word from a small province Southeast of the Stone Country that a band of thugs have usurped one of their trading villages. As of when I officially become the Hokage, I will issue this C-classed mission to your team—Naruto, contain yourself!"

Kakashi speaks, with all due respect, "Tsunade-hime, do you feel it is time for Konoha-nin to carry the job of rebuilding Konoha as well as taking on missions? Do you not think this would be moving quite fast?"

"Relax, Kakashi, I know exactly what you are thinking. Though I am moving our village back into its former ways, I am only going to be accepting 15 percent of the usual mission requests. We need money for building repairs, afterall, and I think this can supply us. I wouldn't want our vault to be trained of all its wealth."

"15 percent? Yes, that is a good calculation. I apologize for my mutinous attitude."

"Hey, now, it's not like I'm Godaime yet. You must have been subconsciously evaluating me."

"Hai, and you pass." Kakashi's solo eye turns up with his smile. He places his hand over his heart and bows before her. "Though you are not officially, I accept you as our Godaime."

She nods with gratitude. Leaning against her desk, Tsunade adds, "Sakura (Hai!?)… You can pick up your medical supplies for the mission at the hospital. After, I want to see you report back for your non-rushed medic training…what?" She chuckles as Sakura stares dumfounded at her master. "Did you forget that you were my apprentice?"

--

For four hours Sakura concentrated on revitalizing the fish until she was successful.

"Sakura, you need to let out less chakra so that you can send a thin coat over its body. The way you work is almost too exhausting to watch."

'**Oh, that's right. I forgot that you didn't know I was the greatest chakra controller on my team! HOW COULD I FORGET?! &!'**

"Huh?" Tsunade's wondering expression turns into a small grin. "Could it be that you are not use to be asking to improve this category? Does Kakashi dote on you and compliment your jonin-level control…even to the point of holding it over your comrades' heads?" She then rolls her eyes. "Well he obviously didn't think to not let it get to you. Drop that ego and get to work. There is _always _room for improvement!"

Tsunade grins in approval. Sakura is about to resume the rigorous training when Tsunade's eyes open in shock. "I just remembered; THE CEREMONY IS IN AN HOUR!"

"**EHH?!"** Sakura's eyes bulge out as her inner thoughts escape momentarily. **"Instead of training me, shouldn't you have been preparing?!"**

"Oh, what's a little improvisation? More importantly…we need to go find you a dress! Geez, the apprentice must always complement the master in all aspects!"

Out in the frenzy of shopping districts, a bargain sale was conveniently hitting all the stores. "Fine! More competition for me!" Tsunade literally drags Sakura behind her in a heated race to the most expensive store that would be pricing all their best ware at half-price! She yanks the curtains aside, missing the sound of an accidental rip.

"Tsu-Tsu-Tsunade-hime!" The shocked owners squeak with misplaced delight.

"Outta my way!" She forms ten shadow replications and sweeps through all the robes within a matter of seconds. The mad woman then proceeds to throw the selected items at her apprentice. The bombarded apprentice is then shuffled into the changing room. Furiously changing and unchanging from item to item, Sakura finally finds a red tunic with matching white pants (like the tradition Korean woman dress). Coming out of the dressing room, Sakura is met with a displeased Tsunade. "Not sexy enough!"

"**Excuse me?!"**

"It's alright! You're young and you will learn. Luckily, I persuaded a woman who was about to walk out the door to let me commandeer this kimono-style top!(1) Oh, and I also found this back-up!"

Tsunade was flashing a victorious smile while holding up the two outfits (already paid for). One of them, the back-up, was a purple flower print kimono-like top with gorgeously long trailing sleeves and a white obi to accompany it. A white, thigh-length skirt and a white and violet colored rope accompanied the top. There were also white, open-toed, high-top shoes with purple laces. The cut up, yet elegant red top was in the other hand. The material was evenly attached with red satin strings. The dark grey obi added to the elegance with its orderly sakura flower print. The skirt was black like the obi. With the dress and skirt were another pair of white shoes, only they were stringed with red laces.

"You can never be too careful with white!" The serious glint reappears in her eyes. "ANBU! We're heading now to Hokage Tower at full speed!"

"Hai!"

Oh, but everthing in Sakura's life is not completely bizarre yet. More randomness must occur in order to accomplish this goal…

_Bump! _

"Ow!"

"Who was that?" Sakura asks.

Tsunade guiltily turns around to hastily help the innocent bystander of her mad dash to their feet. "Shizune?"

"Ino?"

"Um, hi," Ino says before exploding, "Mind telling me why I nearly became road kill?"

Tsunade replies indirectly to Ino while alerting Shizune, "The Inauguration starts in ten minutes!"

"TEN MINUTES?! OIEEE!!" The four dash towards the Hokage Tower, Ino being, dragged by Shizune, in tow.

--

"I accept your request!," She takes off her hat and holds it to her breast (no pun intended) in utmost confidence and certainty. Looking upon her people, she flashes a serious, promising smirk, "From this day forward, I will be your faithful Godaime Hokage!"

Sakura, Shizune, and Ino all stood on the balcony, accompanying their new Hokage. (ANBU guards were sent to the roof; they got replaced.) Ino happened to be wrapped in the spare kimono which happened to suit her nicely. Shizune was carrying the beloved pig. But all in all…

"Hey Sakura-chan?" She whispers.

"Yeah?" She whispers back.

"How did I get hear?" She asks.

"…"

It was all a blur to them.

--

The chapter would be way too long if I wrapped it up at the end of the mission. I think I might merge the two fresh meats later, but all of you are hungry for another update. What was I to do? Also, I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint. It would honestly be fun to draw.

1. The internet-famous top that has two pieces of sleeve attached by strings on each arm and one on the bottom of the body of the top, under the flower patterned obi. Um, she's accompanied by a flat haired sasuke and a crouching naruto…whoever made this outfit, arigatogozaimasu!! (I'll provide a link to anyone who is clueless…say, the majority? Well, if anyone DOES know what outfit I am talking about, cookies to you:3)

I am going to love writing the next half. But its late. That's another reason I am cutting it into two. Also, school sux! Still, I can't believe I'm doing so well in my AP class! I'm one of the top ranking! GO ME!...oh, crap. I still need to read 100pgs tomorrow…shannaro….

Please Read and Review!


	20. Last Mission!

The Alternate Path

By Inner Self

Number 20: "Last Mission!"

Sorry. I got lost on the road of life. Oh, and I uploaded a cool pic w/ Sasori and Sakura IN it. I don't know if it qualifies as crack or not. Check it in my file, yo!

MATTE!! I remembered a legitimate reason! I've been groveling to another fanfiction writer for a sequel. I've provided her(Gravidy) with two plot bunnies (for _The Beggar-Thief)_, but I still haven't got word from her. I'll update if I can get 10 peeps to join me in my humble position. She wrote one of the awesomest, most original HP fanfics ever…it has aliens!! Ah, I wouldn't want to spoil the ending (hence my groveling for a sequel)(but it involves crossing over w/ the video game Mass Effect) so pm me when you've read it….arigatou-gozaimasu!!

Oh, just another thing to add—Good News—the wait proved to be useful. I just came up w/ a better plot bunny to stimulate the fights to come!! (woot) Once again, thank Mass Effect (and Wanted) for their effect on my noggin.

"Last Mission!"

Sakura and her team had been assigned to the mission at seven the next morning and took off around eight. They arrived at the small trading village without any complications, aside from the usual quarrel between Naruto and Sasuke. With no inns in the town, the team was staying in the forest just outside of the town.

Kakashi had decided it was best if they went in looking like common folk. Afterall, thugs were always weary of ninja. For the summer heat, they compromised. The guys clothed themselves in non-fluorescent colored cargo pants and neutral cotton shirts. Sakura followed the same neutral pattern and wore the same type of pants, but with a cute bandana tied at her waist, gathering at one side. She kept her gloves on, trying (keyword) to give off a tough look, but she and the team concealed the rest of their ninja gear.

"Kakashi-sensei, who is our contact?" Sakura asked.

"It's a man by the name of Kimura Tenshin. He was the right-hand man of the previous town leader."

Sakura nodded at his reply. She could wait until they arrived at Kimura-san's house for the rest of the info. She focused on keeping Naruto quiet and ninja-like until then.

Kimura-san lived in a half-decent two-story house. He welcomed them when they showed their papers. Kimura-san led them upstairs to his planning-er-bedroom.

"Welcome. I'm Kimura Tenshin. I was the former leader's right-hand man. I've been organizing the counter-offensive for the past few weeks. Kakashi-san, I've heard about you," he said. "I feel confident that the plan could work if you're here. I just don't know where to coordinate the genin."

"They're more capable than they look. Just tell me the plan, and I can find uses for them," Kakashi gave a cordial smile, his visible eye curling upwards.

"Ah, well, I need you to wear down their ranks, take out the leader, and help sweep the area afterwards. In order to do that, you must enter the tournament held tonight and win each match. Defeat the grunts and you'll be allowed to challenge the leader. Not one villager has ever gotten past the fifth round."

Kakashi then asked, "Why do we need to take him down in this setting?"

"Playing by his rules saves lives. We aren't shinobi. So we enter a boxing tournament every week."

"I see…and how many rounds are there?"

"Ah, one for every man under the leader's command; probably twenty," Kakashi said, while he pondered the situation. If you listened carefully, obscenities could be heard coming from the two boy's thoughts. Sakura gave a "Tsunade" frown (involves a little scrunching of the nose).

Sakura spoke up, "I'll do it, Kakashi-sensei. Tsunade-sama's training gives me a great advantage and good qualifications. These thugs don't use chakra, right?"

Kimura and Kakashi gave a nod.

"And we can't give away that we're shinobi. I have good evasive skills and acceptable conditioning. If I put a little chakra into my one-two punch, I could run through the matches in no time."

After a few seconds, Kakashi let out a breath. "Okay. Kimura, where would you have the rest of us?"

"Whatever you decide is best, Kakashi-san. Keep in mind the matches take place in the center of town. "

"Sasuke and I will watch from locations above the crowd. Naruto will cover Sakura's back by watching in the square."

"Got it!"

--(s)laughter keeps you healthy

The night was lit by the torches lining the front of the homes in the town square and the tournament ring Sakura pulled out her gloves and turned to Naruto, the others already taking their positions. "Sorry that you have to miss out on all the fun, Naruto!"

"Just save some for me, Sakura-chan!" She then winked at his grumpy face, which lightened his mood, and walked off.

"Are there any tonight who will challenge Gyoryugi's Nijou group?" The leader's lackey called. Kimura-san had spread word of the plan. They knew Sakura had been chosen tonight to challenge them.

Trying to give off the epitome of cool, Sakura collectedly slipped on each glove. Then she flexed her hands and fisted one into the other before stepping up to the ring. Sakura slipped on her newly acquired (or perhaps latent) "Tsunade" persona, and taunted, "I like a challenge. I hate losing. I'll fight your men."

The town square was quiet for a moment before the thugs started cackling uncontrollably. They stopped when their leader raised his hand. "You wanna fight my twenny-one _men?_ Go home lil' girl. You dun 'ave to cover for this pathetic bunch 'a husbands and sons. I know tha's not a good enough figh'ar out 'a 'em!" He jeered and his men started ridiculing her once more.

"Just send one of your _boys_ out already, you slimeball," she growled.

"No one disrespects me, lil' gal or not. Ichigo, you're up!" He growled in return. Ichigo entered the ring, Sakura slid back into her stance, and the first match began. It was over in a matter of seconds.

--(s)laughter keeps you healthy

Sasuke had to hand it to Sakura. She really did know how to fight—outside a life or death situation. She was already in the eight round. The tougher guys were now entering the matches. He watched as she weaved through their blows, apply her evasive maneuvers, before closing in for a knock-out blow.

When she reached the fifteenth round, she finally broke into a sweat. After the twentieth, her breathing was ragged. She had to put on a mask when she composed herself and grinned at the leader. All his men had been dealt with. Either they were unconscious from the blow to the head or, if they had attempted to block, tending to a fractured arm.

The pissed off leader tried to remain composed. He gritted his teeth and smiled at the same time. "Your skill is remarkable, however," he now gave a true smile as the wheels in his head kept turning, "the winner must be of this village… not a KUNOICHI!"

The roar of his voice and the tremor that followed in the ground startled Sakura as she repositioned her footing. Gyoryugi made a sweeping motion with his hands and hundreds of pebbles pelted Sakura's feet. She tripped and rolled to prevent smacking her face on the ground. When she looked up once more, the thugs were retreating with their leader, who started the tremors in the town center once more.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto called, "I'm going after them!"

But before he could do so, Sasuke showed up and held him back at the shoulder. "Kakashi is following them. He'll meet us at the edge of town where they retreated."

And so they waited for half an hour. Sakura had healed all the cuts and scrapes around her feet and ankles. She took a soldier pill while she waited.

Kakashi informed the team that the boss, who was left after Sasuke, Kakashi, and Kimura's men got the rest, had retreated into one of the abandoned mines. "It's probably the base the men used before attacking the town. He's going to try and trap us under the rubble. We'll go around the mountain and find the front entrance. In the long run, it's the easiest way in."

After Kakashi and Naruto laid some doppelgangers to cover the back doors, the team circled the mountain. It took an hour to reach a massive, odd looking gate. It was made of iron, and it had steel ropes that helped to open and close it.

"Sakura, can you handle one side?" Kakashi asked. She nodded. "Alright, Sasuke, you can help Naruto and me." _**Rotten old pervert. **_Sakura could have sworn Kakashi'd smiled before turning his focus to the next objective.

The three men of Team 7 gripped the rope on the left side of the blocked entrance and prepared to pull once Sakura was ready. She in turn pulled her gloves snug. She took the rope and slung it behind her. When she signaled that she was ready to begin, she grounded her feet into the rocky soil and started pulling the rope from the first hand and securing it with the second. The gate was up within a matter of minutes.

"I see you are no ordinary despicable group of genin," a voice ground out from the domed out cavern ahead. "I guess it would be rude to lure you into the tunnels. I do not handle formidable opponents so cowardly."

**Che. Liar. Sasuke must have hit his posterior with a goukyaku no jutsu…**

"**I can take you down," Inner Sakura spat. "I'm not going to let a fluke smolder my name."**

"_Who said that?" Sakura faintly wondered. She hoped it was Kakashi. Everything would be alright if he handled matters. "Gambatte, whoever's out there!"_

'**Aha…that's a new development… Don't worry yo! I'm gonna make me proud!!' Inner Sakura bared her teeth at her opponent and settled into a stance.**

"**MUHAHAh!!" **Kakashi and the boys heard the unexpected battle cry from their favorite pink-haired kunoichi. Thanks to shinobi training, Kakashi and Sasuke only showed their shock momentarily before trying to form a backup plan. Afterall, Sakura had lunged right in, albeit with a hightened awareness that they could almost touch. On the other hand, Naruto was staring at his pink crush with awe and a thumping heart and a miniscule amount of fear mixed with concern. In other words: many rushing emotions.

Her teammates had no time to wonder what brought her into this near psychosis (mental derangement). However, they only had time to dodge bolders being hurled, thrown, and kicked by the two combatants.

--(S)laughter keeps you healthy

Inner Sakura had charged almost like a "love"-deprived monkey. The bloodlust was past the beat-the-bastard-to-a-pulp level. Gyoryugi could only hope that it was enough. He should and give up. Alas, his considerable amount of chakra and brute force did not allow his confidence to waver.

Gyoryugi clapped his palms together. Then, stomping his foot onto the ground and crouching, he thrust one into the air an one in the opposite direction. He crossed one foot behind the other and thrust a palm in Sakura's direction, all in three seconds. He danced as so. He would add a different flare for shooting multiple rocks, but would consume a bit more chakra.

Inner Sakura kept circling Gyoryugi, her excitement never disappearing from her face. When she could evade a projectile, she evaded. When he threw multiple projectiles, she would slam a chakra filled kick into one and aim it at the other. If their were four or so, she would use a substitution and step over the lower one and leap frog or weave in between the others, depending on the velocity. Her adrenaline was given a good workout for two minutes or so.

The others had followed her example in order to reach the top of the dome. They had to secure an exit for "Sakura." They were all closing in on the top, minus Kakashi who had sucked up his pride and unleashed his Sharingan. Sasuke merely weaved. Sasuke got smashed once or twice in the shoulder or forearm, but he would twist in midair and prevent major damage. Naruto had the same problem. His clones kept getting blasted. Naruto kept dodging, and his doppelgangers kept blocking the assaults.

They agreed that "Sakura" was the girl for the job. They put their faith in her newly discovered brute strength. It seemed like just another training session for her. She seemed to know the drill.

After five minutes, Sakura's flipping and dodging finally brought her within range to take down Gyoryugi. The others had reached the top. Grinning excitedly/manically, "Sakura" pulled back her fist and then slammed it into the ground. **"Shannaro--!" **Gyoryugi lost his balance, but recovered quick enough to launch a point blank shot at "Sakura". She then slammed her other fist into the shot and split the stone. **"Hyooo!" **Panic was written on Gyoryugi's face when she met his eyes. Grinning, she quickly added a turning side kick. **"Dieeee!!"** Whipping around, she thrust her heel into his gut. ** "Not really, fufu...Just stay down!"**

Gyoryugi cried out for the vivid pain in his gut. The hit had sent shockwaves through his body. Before he knew it, he was knocked out. Seeing as how the dome-shaped enclosure had not collapsed, the three men of Team 7 jumped down to where Sakura now sat.

Sakura had returned after the last punch was thrown. She wasn't as shocked as that time in the Shinomori about her predicament. Yet, she _was _perplexed. Her memory was fuzzy. Her body felt fuzzy, too, in a sense.

Sakura slumped and then fell into a sitting position, arms in front to brace herself. Her breathing wasn't ragged from the strain of the fight, but she was inhaling fast and short breaths. She wasn't tired because her eyes were wide open. She felt different, and it gave her a giddy feeling. She felt energized not long ago, but now her muscles weren't cooperating. She couldn't stop shaking. Her blood was rushing.

When her Team approached her, she was able to talk to them, albeit in an octave higher than usual. She cleared her throat and tried again, "Ahem, I mean, I'm fine."

"Sakura-chan! You were amazing, dattebayo!!" Naruto came, swooped her up, and gave her a hug. When he let her go, however, she started to fall. When Sasuke tried to steady her with a hand placed on her shoulder, she slumped back onto the ground. Sakura gave a light-hearted laugh.

"I said I'm fine, so I'm fine! I'm probably just not use to taking soldier pills or something."

"Sasuke, Naruto," Kakashi called, "Whatever happened to her doesn't appear life-threatening, so help me round up Gyoryugi's gang." Kakashi reaffirmed his confidence by checking Sakura's pulse, which was slowly returning to normal. "Sasuke, carry Sakura back with us."

Kakashi winked at Sakura before he tied up Gyoryugi, and hefted him over his shoulder. Sakura started blushing like mad. She had almost schooled it when she felt a cool hand on her shoulder and jumped. "Sasuke-kun!" She tried hard not to squeal.

"Are you coming or not?" He held out a hand to help her up (whoa).

"Ah…," Sakura squirmed/fidgeted even more. "I don't think I can get up."

"Hn," he said (?) as he threw one of her shaky hands over his shoulder. He felt like he'd fall flat on the floor the way she was hanging on to him. "Grab onto my shoulders."

Sakura tried to fist the cloth of his shirt. Instead she fell into his back, her arms hanging over his shoulders. She decided to just wring her hands together. 'Hey, this works!'

'**OMG, the back of his neck is **_**exposed!!**_**' **Sakura almost lost her grip at that thought. She quickly refocused on the 'task' at hand (getting a piggy-back ride should never be this hard). She felt his hands brush against her lower thighs, and gasped. Next thing she knew, Sasuke was carrying her, and her team was on its way back to the village.

"Sakura," Sasuke called out to Sakura, who was lying her head on his back. "Stop nibbling on my shirt."

Flustered, she stuttered, "I didn't mean to. My lips are moving on their own… like when it's really cold outside, ne? I'm sorry. My body won't stop moving on its own; fidgeting n' all!" Oh, the innuendos her Inner Self could pull out of those words.

After they had rounded up the criminals, a squad of Konoha chuunin came with a prisoner wagon and took Gyoryugi and his men away. Team 7 ate a small lunch, said their farewells to Kimura-san, collected their pay, and followed the chuunins' route back home. Sakura, unfortunately for her, had calmed down and was able to go home on her own feet.

Sakura felt like this day was a turning point in her genin life. For one thing, Naruto and Sasuke weren't walking ahead of her. They acknowledged her as someone they didn't have to protect—always. They were her family, as Naruto put it, but they were also her comrades.

--(S)laughter keeps you healthy

When they gave their report to Tsunade-sama, Kakashi outright mentioned Sakura's condition.

"This hightened awareness and reaction time you have described to me, Kakashi, sounds like the results of someone who's been stabbed by an adrenaline shot. Sakura's soldier pills effect her stamina; nothing more or less." Tsunade obviously found the news interesting. Her eyes were narrowed and she was tapping her chin in thought.

Sasuke lifted his eyebrow. "Sakura took the pill long before we engaged in the fight with Gyoryugi. Could it be some crazy side effect?"

Sakura then asked, "Shishou, there's something I never got to mention, but…um… I can't remember what exactly it was that I did to take down Gyoryugi. I can only remember keeping in constant motion."

Everybody stare at the crazy girl, yeah. "Ano sa," Naruto (finally!) spoke, "I could have sworn I saw something flicker in Sakura's eyes when she was fighting."

"Well, there isn't anything harmfully wrong with Sakura," Tsunade said, "so the phenomena must have been beneficial to her." Tsunade tapped her polished nails on the desk with one hand and held her chin in the other. "The only I idea anyone can come up with, a farfetched one at that, would be…Sakura's gaining a kekkei genkai!" She grinned. "Kekkei genkais have to start somewhere, ne?"

"WHAT?!" The genin shouted. Kakashi chuckled.

"I said that's the only idea I can come up with," Tsunade pulled out her sake bottle and took a swig. "Sakura, would you object to a medical examination? That's all I can do for you right now. If the nurses don't find anything beyond what we have, you'll just have to keep observing, self-evaluating, and updating me on your condition."

Sakura nodded. "If I am no longer needed, I could go see to that examination at this time."

"That's fine, Sakura. Kakashi, the chuunin arrived fifteen minutes ahead of you with all the prisoners accounted for. They have taken them to the prison district, and will return to confirm their job. So you all can be dismissed to gether. Good work, everyone."

The team had decided to wait on Sakura. The nurses only took twenty minutes of their time. "How'd it go, Sakura-chan?!" Naruto asked.

She sighed, "They didn't find anything."

"Well that's good," Kakashi added, "at least there's nothing wrong with you."

"Ne, ne, let's go eat ramen and celebrate!! To our success and to Sakura's! Hey—Sasuke?"

"Pass."

"Hey, where are you going? Oi!"

Kakashi sighed, "It's okay, Naruto. Let him go. I'll talk to him."

"Sensei?"

Sakura was feeling uncomfortable, so she asked Naruto, "Weren't we going to celebrate…? Come on, I bet they'll catch up, ne?" Naruto smiled, but that smile soon after faded. He had almost believed her until she graced him with her fake smile.

(S)laughter keeps you healthy--

Imagine Inner Sakura like you would a non-homicidal Hichigo/Dark Ichigo.

Hey, so, remember the agreement? Thank-you and cookies to anyone who'll help me out. (I'm so glad I found a plot bunny for this story. I like it again!)

I hope I did the cliff-hanger right. I might need to throw in a bit more for the transition into the next chapter. Meh, maybe the reviewers can give me an idea here.

With Insanity,

Inner Self :3


	21. Da' BIG Chapter

The Alternate Path

By Inner Self

#21

"I am not afraid to keep on living

I am not afraid to walk this world alone

Honey, if you stay, I'll be forgiven

Nothing you can say can stop me coming home"

--My Chemical Romance

Why'd I put that song there?? Anyway, I used WIKIPEDIA!

------"Forgive Me if I'm Weak"------

Sakura watched as her sensei walked off in the direction of her crush. In the back of her mind, she could hear Naruto rambling about a new type of ramen served at Ichiraku. They were both trying to deal with their worry. They were both trying to deal with it alone.

The two got to Ichiraku, ordered, and sat in relative silence for a few minutes. Naruto had eaten three bowls already when he gave his chopsticks a rest on the tabletop.

"Sakura-chan," Naruto called over his ramen, "I'm gonna fix this. I'll take you home and then go give Sasuke a guy-to-guy talk. He's just being an ass. He'll get over it by tomorrow morning, I promise!"

"I know, Naruto. He's mad at me, isn't he?" She questioned.

Naruto couldn't lie to her, "Yeah. Kakashi gave us orders to secure the opening in the cave above."

"Sasuke hated the idea that I was more qualified on this mission. You hardly did anything."

"Well…I—yeah—but that depends…"

Sakura frowned. "Naruto, are you mad at me, too?"

Naruto was startled by her question.

"You always get so excited when given a mission."

Naruto relaxed. "It's a chance to prove myself to Konoha, but Sakura, you're my teammate. You needed that mission, and I am okay with that. Still, on the next mission we go on, we need to stick to Teamwork."

"We're so horrible at it."

"You noticed, too, eh?"

"Why didn't Kakashi stop "me" in that mission if I wasn't cooperating?"

Naruto scratched his head. "Come to think of it, why didn't _Sasuke_ interfere?"

-------

Sasuke, lost in his brooding, ended up at the Uchiha Compound. His eyes narrowed in anger. He had an agenda as a shinobi! He had a need to get stronger. So why were his teammakes excelling far more than he felt _he _was? He had to use his Sharingan for the simplest tasks, and his Sharingan didn't allow him to grow as much as he hoped it would.

"Sasuke," Kakashi called out from behind him. Sasuke cursed at how he hadn't detected his sensei. They were standing in the market street that had long been the setting of his nightmares. Kakashi was leaning against a long-deserted food stand. "Let's take a walk." Kakashi proceeded to lead him to the lake where he once practiced his fire ninjutsu.

"Stop sulking. Sakura was unmanageable on the mission, but she took care of it. We're going to need your help to train her."

Sasuke almost stopped dragging his feet. Sasuke hollered, "Train her? I'm the one who needs to get stronger! Forget her and Naruto; they're lost causes!"

"Supposedly, but you don't believe that anymore."

Sasuke gritted his teeth. "What are you trying to say? That I'm weak?"

"Those two are getting stronger. You're not. You have grudges you need to let go of. Revenge won't solve these problems you're having."

"I only get stronger for that revenge. I will kill him. And none of you will interfere."

"Get stronger with us. Go fetch Sakura for me. I need you to fight her."

Reluctantly, Sasuke said, "She better put up a challenge. I don't need her wasting my time."

-------

Naruto was complaining about Sakura's figure, saying she was too skinny. Thankfully he picked "skinny". Sakura was not one to pull her punches.

"Have at least one more bowl?"

"Naruto, for the last time: I said no! I am full whether you think so or not. If you're still hungry then keep eating. I need to go see about my test results. Augh--?!" Sakura had pulled up the flap to leave the ramen stand and was talking to Naruto over her shoulder when she ran into someone. "I'm sorry," she apologized before looking up with wide eyes.

"Hnn," Sasuke said a bit more moodily than usual.

"Sa…Sasuke-kun, you came afterall? Where's Kakashi-sensei?" She asked.

"Kakashi wants you," was all he said before he started dragging her off by the wrist, Naruto protesting in the background. "Dobe, come on. This will probably turn into a team exercise."

Sasuke let go of her wrist once Naruto squeezed in between the two. After a short walk, they reached the team's assigned training ground. "Kakashi probably won't get here for an hour or so," Sasuke stated the obvious, "let's start warming up. In ten minutes, Naruto and I will have a point sparring match with ninjutsu only. At the end, Sakura, you can practice your medical ninjutsu. When Kakashi gets here, he's going to want to see Sakura and me fight."

"Why would he want to see me fight?"

Sasuke made a short pause before answering, "He wants to pull out your supposed kekkei genkai again."

Ten seconds later, Naruto added, "If he's making us spar first, he must want to use up all your chakra to draw it out! That's what the pervy-sage did with me!"

Both gave Naruto a confused look. Sasuke soon remembered the frog summoning during the fight with Sabaku no Gaara and smirked. Who knew the dobe had a brain? Sakura still had a "what the hell is he going on about now?" look on her face.

"Alright, Naruto," Sasuke said, "the sooner we start fighting, the stronger we'll become. Remember to dodge, will you?" Sasuke left his Sharingan off but started sending fire ninjutsu Naruto's way.

Naruto created six kagebunshins which would alternately fling the endangered Naruto to a safe spot as the fireballs kept coming. Sasuke saw that Naruto wasn't taking the offensive. Rather, he saw fit to use Sasuke as a reflex training exercise. Sasuke took out an explosive kunai and hurled it towards Naruto while trailing behind the kunai.

Instantaneously, Sasuke flashed behind Naruto once Naruto dodged. The kunai kept on for twenty feet before emitting an surge of electricity. Five doppelgangers disappeared. So Naruto escaped the elemental attack but was thrown back towards Sasuke, who was behind him, who sent a sound kick into his upper arm. Naruto rolled and landed crouching on his feet before flying towards Sasuke. The real Naruto then dodged as his clone came up behind and threw a line of shuriken at Sasuke's back. Sasuke was stuck by every single one before he disappeared. A successfully executed kawarimi no jutsu. Sasuke flashed behind the last doppelganger and swiftly shot a kick to the middle of its back. When it disappeared, he took a gamble and launched into the air, making the hand seals for a fireball. Naruto had rushed in as Sasuke had hoped. Naruto was below Sasuke and perfectly fitted into the range of Sasuke's attack. When the attack landed, Naruto 'poofed' out of existence and the real him came up behind with two kunai and sliced into Sasuke's shoulders. Naruto, tauntingly, kicked off Sasuke's back and flipped over Sasuke's head. Naruto was standing in front of Sasuke, grinning, but not for long.

Sasuke launched into an all-out taijutsu battle plus chakra induced speed. Naruto created as many clones as he could and started flailing away, or at least trying to, on Sasuke. It was pandemonium. Sakura looked at the stopwatch, which Sasuke had luckily thought to carry. It had been twelve minutes. Sakura had waited until there were visible injuries on Sasuke and Naruto. 'Well, I think it's time I put my skills to practice.'

Sakura called out, "Time!--Hey, guys, its time to stop." She then added a little louder, "Your match ended two minutes ago!" They kept going over her voice, Sasuke slamming his heel into the clones at four-second intervals. Naruto would erupt in a battle cry before each move and Sasuke would evade and counter. They did not look like they would stop any time soon.

Sakura scrunched up her nose. She'd yelled at them a couple more times to no avail. Dashing into the middle of the rough-housing, Sakura swung one chakra induced fist into the terrain. The grount split between the boys. Tremors affected the surrounding area. Sasuke, Naruto, and the clones lost their focus and their footing. They all fell on their asses before the clones disappeared. "Time's up!"

Sasuke and Naruto looked at eachother. Sakura shook her head. "Honestly was that even a point match? You both earned 3 points and then kept going. Plus, you tossed the ninjutsu condition aside at the last minute." Sakura took another look at her watch. They could expect Kakashi in half an hour. "Well, let's get you stitched up!" She thrust her thumb over her shoulder towards the three standing logs.

"Sasuke-kun, I'm going to clean the dried blood off first, and then I'm going to numb your shoulders. Your arms will 'fall asleep' because I'm numbing them near the connecting muscles." He nodded in understanding. "I'm numbing you so that I can stitch you up real quick…I'll heal you so that you don't feel a prickling pain when they 'wake up'. Still, it will feel uncomfortable when I take out the stitches." He nodded again and she got to work. She numbed him, stopped the bleeding, and stitched up the two gashes before switching to Naruto.

"Naruto, this burn is from the heat given off by the elemental kunai that Sasuke threw. It will only take a minute to heal since you heal fast without my help. Your bruised ribs will need me to help along their recovery for another minute." Once she'd given Naruto the fair amount of medical attention, she put her focus back into Sasuke. She healed him and took out the stitches. There was not a scar on him when she was done. With twenty-five minutes passed, Kakashi showed up ten later. The three had just finished having a snack. They were used to waiting on him and did not starve themselves before practice anymore.

"Yo!" Kakashi gave his usual greeting, followed by two cries of "You're late!" Sasuke just snorted delicately. Typical Kakashi. "I see you brought Naruto along as well. You three look like you've kept yourselves busy." Sakura and Naruto pumped their fists into the air in agreement. Sasuke smirked. His mood was better after going hard contact with Naruto. Plus, he knew he'd get another round.

What he didn't know was that Kakashi had reformed his plan. He had first wanted to give Sasuke orders and leave them to train. From afar he'd still watch for signs of development, kekkei genkai or otherwise. It was a half-baked scheme to keep Sasuke's mind off revenge as well. Since Naruto was here, he'd turn the meeting into a team drill.

"Alright, I have an idea. You three are going to fight until you can't get up any more. No weapons. Taijutsu and ninjutsu. I don't feel like rushing anyone to the hospital." Sakura groaned. Maybe Naruto was on to something.

"Sensei, Naruto has too much energy. This is his type of drill. He's going to win!"

"Well, Sakura," Kakashi thought, "think about the bell exercise."

Her thoughts went a mile a minute. Teamwork was the answer she came up with. 'Once again, we are up against eachother,' she thought. Kakashi signaled for the start of the match. Naruto let off a dozen clones and divided them up against Sasuke and her. So the star of team 7 was kept occupied while Sakura, whose evasion skills were second nature by now, was occupied by her thoughts. 'I need to find a way to eliminate Naruto. Then I need to try my luck against Sasuke, who isn't even using his Sharingan.' Sakura smacked another Naruto clone and then glanced over at Sasuke at the other side of the training field. 'Naruto knows that I'll try to gang up on him. Maybe teamwork, for once, is not what Kakashi-sensei is talking about. This is not THE bell exercise, but something about the bell exercise can help me win.'

Sakura threw a chakra punch into the ground, and a crater formed with her in the middle. Naruto was creating a new wave of clones to come after her. 'What were the significants of the bell exercise?' Sakura racked her brain. 'Kakashi exploited our weaknesses against us. Naruto, as I already know, lacks defense. That's why I'm knocking down his offense clone after clone. Sasuke got stuck in an earth trap, but my doton skills aren't quite developed. Lastly, my weakness: Kakashi crept up behind me and threw up an illusion.' Sakura's metaphorical lightbulb flashed. 'My weakness is also my strength. I'll try my hand at illusion!'

Sakura charged up the crater and through the Narutos. She found the main one. Naruto launched more clones her way. Instead of attacking Naruto's defensive offense, she dodged and rolled past one. She used a hand on a surprised Naruto's shoulder to push off into the air. She made her way to the real Naruto. He punched her on her left but she blocked. Sakura through his hand away from her and grabbed his upper arm with her other hand. She grabbed the arm she'd flung away, too. Grinning, Sakura tossed him like a sack of potatoes into Sasuke's line of fire.

"Heads up, Sasuke-kun!" She started doing the seals for her genjutsu while Sasuke kicked Naruto around a little. She released her first set of seals. Her presence became like fog to the boys. She just could not provoke them. She readied the last set of seals and formed the genjutsu scene that she was going to enact. Once Sasuke launched a fireball on Naruto, she released the seals.

Sasuke watched with horror as more power than he intended was released in his ninjutsu. Even worse was the gut-wrenching feeling of seeing Sakura charge in after Naruto at an ill-timed moment. Hurriedly, he launched a water ninjutsu to counteract the worst of the fire attack. Both had fallen to the ground, Kakashi's condition to ending the fight. He hadn't wanted the fight to end like this though, with both of his friends hissing in pain. Sasuke ran over to them and rummaged through Sakura's med-pack. He hurriedly began to apply the burn salves to Sakura's forearms, which had luckily protected her face, hoping Naruto would start self-healing in the meantime.

In reality, Sakura pushed Naruto out of the way and tackled him to the ground, landing on his back. She looked for something in her pack to tie him with. One of Naruto's hands got loose from under his body. He hurled Sakura off his back while forming a massive number of doppelgangers to deal with Sakura, the last opponent. A frenzy unleashed and lasted for ten minutes. 'Honestly! How does Sasuke handle Naruto, sharingan or not?!' Sakura was finally knocked off her feet by four clones at once and sent flying into Sasuke's chest, of whom was previously zoned out in space. Sasuke was a little pissed to find out his friends weren't hurt but he got over it. Sakura had been sent his way on a silver platter.

He pressed his chest against her back and wrapped his arms around her arms and chest. Still, Sakura struggled, albeit blushing. She brought her feet off the ground and unbalanced Sasuke's footing. He was able to use gravity to his advantage and fell forward. Sakura landed on her side, cheek pressed into the ground, as did Sasuke, his chin tucked into the nape of her neck to hold her head still. He secured his leg over her own. She was captured. All Naruto had to do to eliminate Sakura now was hit her pressure point while he had her pinned.

Sasuke smirked and called out to Naruto to finish the third competitor off when he was wrestled off of Sakura. Naruto had not appreciated Sakura and Sasuke's position. It was a very suggestive way to restrain a girl, Sasuke learned, as Naruto punched him in the head and executed the Ultimate Naruto Barage. Sasuke evaded the last hit and activated his sharingan, wrestling Naruto into the ground. Naruto was fighting to get up and Sasuke kept pushing him down with the full weight of his body. It was highly suggestive. Sakura was still on the ground. Her body was shaking. She was still blushing. A grin was spreading across her lips. She tried to redirect her thoughts but Inner Sakura was pushing at her psyche. IS wanted a go at Naruto and Sasuke. A pulse let off near her heart. Sakura's grin turned into a predatory smile, teeth and all. She raised up from the ground. Her skin flushed as the tremors in her body stilled. Her eyes bled pink. **"I feel so good."**

Both boys' heads swung in her direction. With a rush of speed, Sakura went after them. Sasuke fled, but part of him regretted it when he saw Sakura roll Naruto over and pin him down facing her. She had her gaze locked on him, predatory smile intact. She was perched atop Naruto's stomach, gripping him by his upper arms. It was better than oiroke no jutsu. Naruto's face flushed until he bled out. He was out of the picture. Sasuke was the last one.

Sasuke mentally slapped himself for indulging a boyish fantasy. It probably was not as fun as he looked. Sakura hopped off of Naruto, who was easy prey, and rounded on Sasuke. **"I take it there's still some fight in yea?" **She grinned. **"Excellent!"** Sasuke and Sakura went at it for another ten minutes, using purely taijutsu. Sakura and Sasuke were throwing attacks faster than most could blink. Sasuke was seeing all her moves, but at the speed they were going, one or two made it through his defenses every now and then. Sakura was paying no attention to the blows he landed on her. She focused solely on offense. Her kekkei genkai allowed her to ignore the pain, as is the purpose of adrenaline. Of course, Sasuke did not like it when he'd get hit by Sakura. He had to pull his punches, but he was still doing a number on her.

Sakura knew she was losing. The blows were going to catch up to her. Outer Sakura would be returning soon. Until then she was unstoppable. Inner Sakura initiated a game of cat and mouse. She formed the seals that she'd seen Naruto do so often and turned to Sasuke. With a 'poof' of smoke, she transformed into a long-haired, busty, naked version of her kunoichi self. **"Hey there big boy!" **Only thin strips of clouds protected her virtues. Regardless of the knowledge that it was a transformation jutsu, Sasuke was momentarily immobilized by the fantasy. Inner Sakura took the opportunity gained and sucker-punched him without remorse. Sasuke was finally rendered unconscious.

Inner Sakura was grinning like mad at her victory when she heard something--or better yet, some_one_—fall out of a tree twenty-five yards away. Inner Sakura had successfully knocked all her male teammates unconscious with her alpha female personality. Fatigue grasped Sakura as she returned to her normal state. She collapsed onto the ground, body still shaking. 'Oh my God, I remember everything this time. Damn you IS!' She ranted in her head. Her cheeks were flushed. She sighed. 'Hopefully the embarrassment will wear off by the time they ALL wake up.' She really felt like going to sulk in a corner. Unfortunately she would not be going anywhere without one of them carrying her. Noting the futility of her situation, she drifted off to sleep.

-------

Sakura awoke to the feeling of being carried. It felt good to be carried, as she was starting to learn. If Sakura was not a ninja, she'd probably be a very lazy civilian. Sakura opened her bleary eyes to a loud orange hue. Naruto was carrying her. "Pervert!" She accused even though Naruto was touching her out of necessity. 'Oh the irony,' all three men noted.

Thankfully, Sakura did not hit Naruto when she jumped off of him. She swayed before standing tall. She held her chin high and walked ahead of them. She looked at the sky. Twilight was setting in. "As I was telling Naruto at lunch, Tsunade-same should have my test results back any time now. I'm off to the hospital. Ja ne!" The three men of team 7 decided that the happenings on the training grounds were taboo, at least, until Sakura criticizes Naruto about the use of HIS oiroke no jutsu.

------

"Latent adrenaline?" Sakura parroted back to Shizune.

"Yes. It seems that the trigger is when your chakra falls beneath thirty percent. A massive amount of energy is forced out of your chakra stores once the kekkei genkai is activated. The extra surge of adrenaline gives you the feeling of invincibility by clouding your pain receptors. Basically, you're able to note that the pain and continue fighting. The positive side is that your reflexes dramatically increase, like the sharingan."

"Really?! I'm developing the sharingan then?!" Sakura gasped.

"No. That's not what I meant. Kekkei genkai are created once and passed on to future generations. They are all unique. Still, your power may be an off-shoot of the sharingan. Sharingan grants the user forsight and copies the opponents' moves. Your kekkei genkai gives your body a sixth sense. You can sense danger. You can pick when to avoid an attack or take a casualty. Though your combat skill is increased, you can't copy techniques," Shizune paused, "at least that's what my assumptions are on everything you've related to me so far."

Sakura was a bit stunned. Shizune was amazing at diagnostics. "You're right. If I did have some sort of sharingan, I would have been able to utilize the jutsu that rogue iwa-nin used. Thank-you Shizune-san."

Sakura got up to leave. "Not so fast, Sakura." The door had opened. Sakura's mentor stood in the doorway. She had a resolute look on her face, as well as in her voice. "I have something to add." Sakura sat back down, curious.

Tsunade held the file. It was littered with theories. It was a mess compared to other files. Her condition, after all, was an enigma. "From the hypotheses we have made, we concluded that some of your chakra is cut off from the rest and then released all at once. The rush of chakra forces your adrenaline into overdrive. After a period of time, your body is left exhausted and vulnerable. If not for your teammates and if the battle was not finished during that period of time, you'd be fed to the proverbial wolves. The worse part about this theory is that with the figures reworked, the estimated chakra cut off and drained during the Rush is fifty percent. Sakura, until we can get that percentage down, I am hereby limiting your access to missions at C-level and below."

What would Sasuke say if he heard? She was strong, yet weak at the same time. She was an asset and a liability to her team. Sakura was swallowing her pride. She knew to trust her shishou's judgement. "How do I get that percentage down?"

"The more you run into your limit, the less you will have to rely on it. Luckily the solution is simple. You must use your chakra as offen as you can outside of combat, BUT you must always be under the supervision of Shizune, one of your teammates, or myself. Basically, a rigorous training schedule will solve just about any kunoichi's woes, and your situation is no exception."

The seriousness in Tsunade's voice vanished as she handed Sakura a scroll. It was a D-ranked mission. "Give this to Kakashi-san tomorrow morning. This mission is going to call for all of your talents, Sakura. It is D-ranked because the skills required of you will be used in a non-combat situation. Get a good night's rest and get your boys to my office by eight o' clock sharp!"

"Hai!" Sakura saluted. She quickly said good-bye to Shizune and her master and left. Sakura went right to her room and read the scroll: She was to help a town not far from Konoha in rebuilding their dike system. Tsunade had even left a note that she expected Sakura to use her chakra without falling below sixty percent. Sakura put the scroll under the fake compartment in the drawer of her nightstand. She then reached to the bookshelf above her bed and selected _Most Complex Psyches: A Guide to Psychological Profiling_ without hesitation. She was almost finished; at page 412, she only had 56 more to go. At midnight, Sakura finished. Personally, she had preferred Hare-san's _Personality Checklist-Revised_. She rubbed her eyes, put the book on her nightstand, and was asleep within minutes.

At six o' clock Sakura awoke. She was feeling a little sleepy, but a big breakfast provided all the energy she needed. She went back upstairs and through Hare-san's _PC-R_ in her bag along with the usual stuff. She grabbed the scroll, left a note for her parents, and went off to her sensei's house.

-------

Sakura knocked three times and then yelled at the top of her lungs. She didn't have time for her sensei's charades. It was 6:48am and she still had to go get Sasuke and Naruto. She just about barged in when the door cracked open, Kakashi staring at her with one lazy eye peeking through. "Ah, Sakura, ohayo!"

"Ohayo, sensei. This is for you. Hokage-sama gave us a D-ranked mission. She wants our team to leave at eight o' clock sharp. I need to go get Sasuke-kun. Have fun waking up Naruto!" Sakura left after having her pick of the messenger game. Let Kakashi-sensei deal with Naruto.

The walk to Sasuke's house was eerily quiet once she stepped foot into the Uchiha compound. She glanced around expecting a ghost to jump out at her at any moment. 'How horrible it must be to live in a place like this,' Sakura frowned, contemplating. 'Sasuke's demons will never go away if he stays here.'

She walked solemnly into Sasuke's house. "Sasuke-kun," she called.

"I'm in here," he called from a far off room. She walked along the side hall that surrounded the old-style house. She met him in his kitchen.

"It's good to see you up early. Hokage-sama has a mission for us."

"Good. We can't get too comfortable; not after what happened during the chuunin exams."

Sakura sat down. She hesitated before she spoke. "I'm sorry. It's only a D-ranked mission. It's all my fault really. Tsunade-sama thinks my condition is more curse than blessing and won't risk giving our team anything higher than C-rank for a while."

Sasuke frowned. "How long are we to consider you a liability?"

"It depends on how much I step up in my training schedule." Sasuke's frown quickly became an evil smirk. He enjoyed fighting against Sakura's 'liability'.

"You're not going to give me any time to breathe, are you? Well, as long as you have enough strength to carry me home every night, I have no qualms. How long will it take you to get ready?"

"Give me ten minutes, then we'll meet up with the dobe and sensei."

So she pulled out the PC-R and started reading the key parts, thinking over the enemies they'd ever met. Could any of them be psychopaths or just ill-fated shinobi following the code? Sasuke came back to find her in her musings.

"What's that?" He asked.

"Hmm?" Sakura looked up. "Oh, I'm reading Hare-san's _Personality Checklist-Revised_. It's quite fascinating. I never thought I would develop any interest in psychology, but, well, here I am."

Sasuke tilted his head. "What's the personality checklist for?"

"Hare-san formulated a checklist for diagnosing persons who meet the psychopathic criteria. I was just wondering how many rogue shinobi we fought were psychopaths. Zabuza, to my understanding, was sane. I know Orochimaru is definitely a psychopath. Many others fall unto only a few symptoms because of their shinobi training though."

Sasuke looked as if he were about to spit out bad medicine when he asked, "How about my brother?"

Sakura looked up. "I thought that would be pretty obvious, don't you? You were witness to his 'lack of conscience'."

Sasuke shook his head. "I still want my revenge against him for all he has done."

"People like him are criminals Sasuke, and they are criminals because they lack remorse and do evil things. You should not seek out revenge, not unless you want to lose your mind and become one of them. I just wonder who's more psychotic, Orochimaru or him."

"Can you help me do a checklist?"

"Why would you want to torture yourself, Sasuke?"

"I need to know if any part of him was human. If I have some _remorse_, as you put it, then I _won't_ become like him," Sasuke's fists were clenched. One gripped his backpack. He swung it over his shoulders. "Come on. Kakashi and Naruto have probably headed towards the gate by now."

---------

"Well, I think the villagers can manage from here," said Kakashi, eye crinkle included. They were all staying in a one-room at the edge of town, expenses paid by the grateful villagers. They were all going to head out first thing in the morning.

Sakura, dressed in a white bedtime yukata, was readying her futon to lay down when Sasuke sat down beside her. "Sakura, did you bring the book with you?"

Sakura hesitated before pulling it out of the pack next to her bed. "Do you have a blank scroll?" He handed the scroll to her, along with the required brush and a bamboo container full of ink. All I want you to do tonight is check which symptoms your brother clearly displays."

Sasuke took his time, thinking of when any symptom had clearly arisen in his brother. He used examples to back up his answers and massaged the bridge of his nose when he was finished. "Let's hit the sack, Sasuke. We're keeping Naruto and sensei up." Sure enough, everyone was enraptured by the way Sasuke was opening up to Sakura. Naruto thought he could still get away with his eavesdropping and gave a loud, obnoxious snore. Sasuke gave an annoyed 'hnn' and dragged his futon away from Kakashi and over towards the wall closest to Sakura. Within ten minutes, they'd all drifted to a light slumber.

Heading back the next morning, Sasuke and Sakura drifted back to the rear and let Kakashi and Naruto scout ahead. Sakura began to check Sasuke's theories from an objective point-of-view.

"Grandiose sense of self-worth, check. No desire to be a leader, but able to in any case; this point you made is good. Superficial charm can stay unchecked. Criminal versatility, check. Unfeeling for the safety of others, as explained by his ruthless leadership, check. Efficient and flawless skill, therefore, you left 'impulse control problems unchecked," Sakura nodded, impressed, "Oh, I think we've stumbled upon our first disagreement. You said yes to 'aggressive or violent tendencies'."

Sasuke growled, "The police force detectives came to our house the day after Shisui was killed. Itachi nearly slaughtered them right there, I saw it in his eyes. The slaughter probably could have started there if my father had not intercepted the interrogation."

"True, BUT you must remember the keyword. That was only one instant for the whole month leading up to…it." Sasuke 'hnned', and Sakura slashed that one off the list with the ink brush.

"Okay, next is 'pathological narcissism', check. He let being the pride of the Uchiha go to his head. Pathological lying, check. His whole façade was a lie. Basically everything he said can be seen as a lie because of how that point in your life ended. Do you want to take a break, Sasuke?"

"Keep going."

Sakura nodded solemnly. She hoped this was therapeutic in its twisted sort of way. "Of course he was deceitful and manipulative…check. Hm. You said on 'inability to tolerate boredom? You reasoned that he always instigated fights, check; like with the detectives, like with you in Tanzaku town…like with me. I can add another reason: He always kept busy. Everybody thought he was a workaholic. Lack of empathy, check. Since he was always lying to you, his feelings for you were conjured up as well. He was just acting like he assumed older brothers would. He did not understand the implications of his gestures…," Sakura's voice trailed off. She started to sniff, and furiously rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hand. Quietly, she asked, "Sasuke, you really wrote all this?" They were quiet for a moment. "Even though you don't need a break, I need five minutes pull myself together."

Sasuke hadn't wanted to admit to needing breathing room, but he allowed Sakura to take as much time as she needed. Fifteen minutes later, hands in his pockets, he nudged her with his shoulder.

"Lack of remorse…check. You included the words 'to test my capacity'. Sense of extreme entitlement, check. Mastery of a hidden Uchiha jutsu. Diminished levels of anxiety, check. Never hesitated to accept nor failed a mission. Deviant sexual behavior…? Sasuke, why'd you put a question mark?"

Sasuke tucked his chin lower into the coller of his shirt. "I didn't exactly know what that was implying."

"Well, for instance, did he ever touch you," Sakura blushed as Sasuke's eyes buldged out, "…um, like a girl would, for instance?"

Sasuke shook his head furiously. At least that wasn't one of his traitorous, psychotic brother's abnormalities. "Regardless, I was too young to comprehend that subject."

Sakura took a precautionary glance at Sasuke and resumed. "Poor judgement, etc., left unmarked. He exceeded expectations as a ruthless, yet decisive leader and quickly received promotions. Failure to follow any life plan, checked. I think that as the 'pride of the Uchiha', your clan would have mapped out his life from the day he entered the Academy. Still, he failed to find a healthy reason for his existence."

Sakura flipped throught the eight pages worth of notes, and returned to the last page, obligingly reading the last bullet on the checklist. "Inability," she said and then started again, "Inability to distinguish the moral from the immoral….Check." She looked over at Sasuke and then skimmed through the page worth of scenarios. Sasuke had vented out all of his anger for his brother. She remembered then how increasingly moody Sasuke had become the previous night when writing through the checklist.

Wisely, she had known not to disturb him. Wisely, she would give him some space once more. She silently handed over the revised checklist. Running ahead, Sakura relieved her teacher from his scouting duties. Kakashi hung back and walked alongside Sasuke for about an hour or so.

---------

"Ne, ne, Sakura-chan!" Naruto harshly whispered over to her with his hand. He was getting better at the whole ninja thing.

Sakura blinked and then looked over to where he was now pointing. Someone was coming out of the Great Forest thicket and into the road. The person was male. He was carrying something. It looked like a sack of potatoes. He was approaching them. Maybe he was lost. She called over her shoulder to Kakashi.

"We can find out where he's going and point him in the right direction. It's good that he found the road," Kakashi reasoned.

As he approached, Sakura could have sworn she saw the sack jump. She looked at the man again. His appearance was dirty and haggard. His eyes looked dead. Sakura had a swooping feeling in her gut. She pulled on Naruto's sleeve to keep him from going any closer and waited for the other half of their team to reach them. Sakura's brow furrowed. "Sensei, I think there's something wrong with that man."

The man, in a tattered villager yukata, kept shuffling along, wandering closer and closer to the road. The bag jumped again, of that Sakura and everyone else was now positive. There was a muffled yelp. Sasuke activated his sharingan.

The man let out an abrupt, hideous scream. His mood became alarmed and hostile. He revealed a small kitchen knife and held it to his hostage, who wailed. It was a small child. "You said I couldn't do it!" He screamed at none of them in particular. His focus soon became Sasuke's blood red eyes. "You said I didn't have it in me! Well I can prove you wrong! I was going to deposit her in the big waters, like yous wanted, show you just how good I could do it, but I think I's just do it now and deposit this shiny tool ins her neck!"

"Wait!" Sakura moved in front of Sasuke, blocking the sharingan from the man's view. His focus was redirected toward her. "Calm down. Let's not do anything we're going to regret." Sakura tried to remain as peaceful as possible, hoping to affect his mood as well. "If I go over there, can we talk about this peacefully?"

He screeched, "No!" He then hissed, "I'm on a mission! This is my first mission! I won't let you f—k it up! Stay where you are! I said STAY BACK!" Sakura noted that Kakashi was nowhere in sight.

Sakura stilled. The man was trapped in some sort of psychosis. He needed medical treatment. Still, there was the child's life to worry about. "I can't quite hear you from this distance. I'm just going to come a bit closer." The man seemed to nod in acquiescence as she took a few steps forward. The knife was still pressed to the shivering bundle's supposed jugular.

"You said you were on a mission?" Sakura asked. "You must be a shinobi. Tell me, are you friend or foe?"

"I am a leaf ninja! YOU ARE THE ENEMY!!! You're trying to sabotage my mission!"

"We are leaf shinobi as well," Sakura pointed to her forehead protector, "This symbol we each carry properly identifies us. We come with an urgent update regarding your important mission. As a leaf ninja to another, I'd like to speak colloquially. I'm going to come within ten feet of you, alright?"

The man's hostility started to flare up again. "Alright, that's close enough! Now give me the update!"

Sakura hoped her stalling was not too noticeable. The man thought he was on an extermination mission, she noted. "Our team was on a mission like yours within close proximity to yours. It seems our targets got mixed up. We have secured your target by mistake. It lies by the riverbed. Our mission had almost been completed when we realized we had grabbed the wrong target. If you'd give us our target, we'd be on our way."

He was mumbling now. He mumbled about his fear of failure. He got louder and louder. "Nononononooooo….not again! I can't fail again! How can I dawdle in this forest so long and find a target that isn't a target when you, a kunoichi brat, finds a not target that's not really a not target AT ALL!" He flung his hostage onto the forest floor and started pulling at his dirty, grimy hair. "I CAN'T FAIL AGAIN, you have to HELP ME kill HER!!!"

The crazed man made to grab Sakura's shoulders, but Kakashi flashed in front of Sakura, effectively cutting him off. Lightning fast, Kakashi grabbed the man's head. Sakura heard a distinct, sickening pop. Kakashi had adequately put a stop to the man's pathetic reality.

"I'm going to go bury the body. I won't be far. Sakura, heal the girl."

Sakura was shivering. Her eyes became wet. Naruto came over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Sakura doubled over and expelled her breakfast. Naruto held her up awkwardly until Sakura gathered her composure. She sniffed and wiped the waterworks away from her face.

"Sakura," Naruto said sympathetically, "Sasuke's bringing the girl over so you can heal her. She's probably no more than six. Let's be strong for her." Sakura nodded her head and pulled on her friendly mask. "Thanks, Naruto."

Sasuke untied the rope at the top of the bag and released the bundle. The girl had been crying hysterically from the looks of it and was still whimpering. She had dark, red-rimmed eyes and long, black hair secured in low pigtails. Her forearm was broken and her shoulder, dislocated. She was trying to say something to Sasuke as he cautiously picked her up. "Daddy… where…where's Daddy?" She asked him again, more hysterically, "Where's Daddy?!"

Sasuke, shocked momentarily, tried his best to answer. "Was he the man who brought you out here?" Tactfully, he excluded the fact that the man had tried to kill her. The little girl nodded. Sasuke looked over to Sakura, who shook her head vigorously. He kept his mouth shut.

Sakura took the girl from Sasuke and set her down. "We don't know where your daddy went. Maybe he went to find a healer for your arm. How silly of him; he should have known that I could have you bandaged up in no time. Can you show me your arm?"

Sakura knew the girl didn't trust her works. The girl knew what was happening, but didn't want to say it aloud. If she kept her silence, maybe the nightmare would go away. The girl was going in to shock, Sakura noticed. She didn't say anything as she held out her arm, her head hung low. Sakura nodded her head towards the girl, as if to say 'Console her, dammit!' Sakura numbed the whole arm and got to work.

Both boys sat down next to the girl. Sasuke put a hand on her back and started rubbing circles, like his mother used to do. Naruto put on a cheerful grin and started shooting off introductory questions at the girl, which is actually recommended. "Hey there, the name's Naruto! What's your name?"

"Do you have a name?" "Do you live far from here?" "Do you have a best friend?" Each question went unanswered, but Naruto did his best not to be disheartened. He kept up his questions until Sakura was done setting the bones. "Alright, I guess you don't have a name. I'm going to nickname you Kyoko since I don't feel like calling you girl anymore!"

"I'm done," Sakura said. She hadn't completely healed the girl, they noticed. "Um, Kyoko…this is all I can do here, but I'm sure we could take you to the Konoha hospital. They'd take good care of you."

The girl didn't protest. Sakura formed an idea. Kakashi wasn't going to like this. First, Sakura gave the girl a consoling hug "It's going to be alright." Sakura then pressed down on the pressure point in 'Kyoko's' neck. Kyoko slumped forward into Sakura's embrace. "Sasuke, take Kyoko to Konoha _as fast as you can_." She said urgently, forgoing the honorific.

In the spirit of teamwork, Sasuke hoped Kakashi wouldn't mind. Sakura was nearly a full-fledged medical professional. She swept the girl into his arms, the set arm facing away from his chest and hanging in midair. He activated his sharingan and pumped chakra in a constant flow towards his lower half. In the blink of an eye, he vanished, leaving them literally in the dust.

Kakashi came back. Sakura remembered _her_ anger and exploded. "He was not well! We should have helped him!"

Kakashi's eye darkened. "He was a psychopath and was soon to become a murderer. He needed to be slain."

"No," she said, voice strong, "not a psychopath. The symptoms were different. He was out of his mind. He didn't try to justify what he was doing. He didn't _understand_ what he was doing—there was still hope for him!"

"We could not be certain that he would have gotten better. Hospitals have bigger problems to worry about than dealing with mental patients. You distracted him. I eliminated him. We saved the girl. I did what I could in the situation. Where is the girl."

"I told Sasuke to take her to the Konoha hospital. They will examen her there. Let's hope they don't off her if she's a _mental_ patient," Sakura spat. She turned away from Kakashi. "You tracked down the village, right? You were gone a while."

"I found out that man was her father. He was a former ninja of Konoha. He was discharged not long after achieving chuunin rank."

Sakura exhaled her leftover frustration. "I'm sorry that I let Sasuke-kun run off, Kakashi-sensei. I made a choice for the girl's sake. Naruto and I were capable of handling ourselves until you came back."

Kakashi nodded. "Let's head back. Sasuke will be waiting at the hospital."

--------

"How did it go?" Kakashi asked Sasuke. They were all gathered in the waiting room.

"Fine," Sasuke said, running a hand through his hair. "Shizune-san said it was a special case. The Hokage wants Shizune to work with the girl. She says Sakura is to focus on her combat training." He held Sakura's gaze. "'Don't worry about it,' she said."

Sakura nodded. They all headed to the Hokage tower. They gave their conclusion to the mission and explained the conflict in their journey home. Tsunade told Sakura that Kakashi made a good decision spur of the moment. A adult trapped in an unstable state of mind that long would expend many resources in treatment during war time. A quick death was all that could be given to him.

Later, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura met up at the Ramen stand. Sasuke was looking over the list again. "My brother isn't like that man. My brother tries to justify all the evil he's committed. I need to kill him, whenever the time comes. We need to strengthen our training schedule."

"You can count on us, Sasuke," Naruto said, uncharacteristically serious. They finished up, paid, and headed for the training grounds. All were about ready to drop when they headed home.

Instead of parting at the usual intersection, Sasuke and Naruto continued to follow Sakura. "Oi, Sasuke, don't steal my ideas!"

"Che. She's my teammate, too, dobe."

They walked Sakura, who was smiling all the way, home. She turned to them as she fished out her key. This was an important moment in Team 7 history. With a small smile, she tentatively hugged Naruto and then Sasuke, both hugs with equal compassion. Sakura was growing up and learning to understand love. "I'll see you guys tomorrow, early as usual!" She turned around, hopped inside, and closed the door. Naruto pinched himself and started grinning stupidly.

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow. "Hey, dobe, don't stand there all night or you'll catch cold," Sasuke said. Sasuke punched Naruto in the arm playfully, and they both parted ways.

--------

On his way home, Sasuke noticed he was being followed. He kept going as if nothing was amiss and turned left at the narrowest alleyway he was aware of. If there was more than one apprehender, he'd gain an advantage. "Do you have business with me?"

A red-haired kunoichi stepped out of the shadows. "Fu. At least he's not as retarded as Jirobo," she remarked. A tall, bulky shadow shifted behind her at the entrance of the alleyway. "Listen up, shit for brains, Orochimaru wants you to go to him without complications."

Sasuke scoffed. "I don't take orders from strangers, kunoichi."

"Tayuya. Get moving…kid." She was obviously holding her tongue. She had what some would call a dirty mouth.

"Nice to meet you. I'm not going anywhere. Get out of here before I cause a disturbance." Sasuke's hand was prepared to execute a fireball jutsu at any moment.

"Sakon," Tayuya said, signalling to him with her hand. Sasuke heard a change in the direction of the wind and looked up. A man with two heads was coming down to dropkick him. Sasuke blocked and skidded closer to the street behind the alleyway. He didn't think these guys would hesitate to kill innocents if the fight flowed into the streets. They'd caught Sasuke's bluff.

"Even if you willed up the determination to fight us in the alleyway or the streets, one of our men is staking out your girlfriend's house right now. If you don't go with us to Orochimaru, we assure you, Kidomaru will kill her."

"Sakura wouldn't be killed so easily," Sasuke stated.

"If Kidomaru is too weak to kill that kunoichi, we could always target her mother. How would you like to make her an orphan, like you and that blonde brat?"

Sasuke held his silence. He was fuming. "Sakura can protect them adequately."

Sakon cupped his ear, speaking into a mike. "How are things working on your end, Kidomaru?" The conversation went into tones inaudible to Sasuke. Sakon covered his mouth with his other hand, making the sharingan useless. "Well, Kidomaru's set the trap. His little friends are keeping an eye on her."

Sasuke threw a punch at him and missed. Sasuke was slammed into the building wall the next moment, the wind knocked out of him. He was staring at the aggressor, whose face and body was now covered in black markings. "It's the cursed seal you wear. Yours is a level one. We can help you obtain the next level. The power Orochimaru will give you is still far more rewarding."

Tayuya piped up behind Sakon. "Why prolong your departure? This day was going to come. Your friends have already found masters. Yours awaits. Don't think that sticking around in Konoha will teach you the jutsu necessary to kill Itachi."

"So what will you do now, kid?" Sakon asked, already knowing the answer.

Sasuke slammed his fist into the wall and gritted his teeth. It was true. He knew his enemy now and was sure that what he was doing was right, thanks to Sakura. It was time to acquire the skill necessary to put his brother to rest and end his own nightmare. "I'll go to him."

"I'm sure you would like to see your girlfriend one more time. Bring Kidomaru with you."

Sasuke stalled as long as he could. He met up with Kidomaru at two that morning. "I left the window open for you. Don't worry, I sprinkled some sleeping powder under her nose."

Sasuke frowned. His friends were no match for these sound ninja. He slipped inside. Sakura was lightly snoring. It was mildly cute. He saw her hand by her pillow and grabbed it without thinking. He was saying good-bye, but it isn't like he thought up a speech beforehand. He hesitated. He opened his mouth but paused. He waited for the words to come to him. Finally, Sasuke thought of a simple, one-liner, and put all his feeling into it.

"Arigatou…Sakura."

------------end chapter.

Can you believe it? I came back. Mens rea, as my Sakura would put it. I need to finish this or I will forever have this horrid creative block. I feel cursed. Finishing this story will be the only way to lift it.

GAWD, I feel a sequel coming. Why, why, why, why, why did I have to make this chapter so much more positive than where I left it?! Expect a happy ending. You guys earned it. Just don't count on a sequel. It might just be a 'dun-dun-DUN!' ending.

P.S. …………….DaaaaaaaaAMN! 19 full pages!


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